This Father’s Day, We See the Dads Who Lost Their Babies

Among the 17 loss parents we’ve interviewed for our documentary The Due Time, only two are dads.

One of them is Brandon, husband of Jasmyn Williams. Their daughter Naiomi was stillborn at 35 weeks on October 31, 2024. What stayed with me most from our interview was Brandon’s answer when I asked why he and Jasmyn still wanted another child.

He said: “The world needs more good kids coming from great situations.” Because they are a great situation — two good people who know they’ll raise good kids. It almost felt like their duty to bring more light into the world.

After learning Naiomi had been stillborn, Brandon made a quiet vow to hold it together. He knew if he fell apart, everyone else would too. So he stayed calm for Jasmyn, believing “being super extra in that moment doesn’t help anybody.”

When he needed to cry, he stepped outside.

His words made me cry. I know so many dads — including my own husband — have carried grief the same way: silently, protectively, out of love. To every dad who has walked this road: Thank you!

Thank you for holding space, for showing up, for carrying strength even when your heart was breaking. This Father’s Day, we see you. We honor you.

If Brandon’s story moved you and you’d like to help amplify more voices like his, please consider supporting The Due Time — our independently produced documentary on stillbirth. Every share, watch, or contribution helps bring these important stories to light: www.theduetime.com.