Board of Directors
Rachel first came to Empty Cradle 7 years after her second loss. She and her husband, John, were looking for a place where they could be among people who understood their grief. In 2001, Rachel and John were living in New Mexico when they suffered a miscarriage at 12 weeks. Rachel was not offered any support or resources to help deal with her grief. In 2003, she became pregnant again and welcomed a son, Jonathan Taylor LeRoy Cash Redhouse, 8 weeks early. “JT” passed away when he was 3 days old due to complications from posterior urethral valves. Again, she and John were not offered any support or bereavement resources. In 2010, Rachel and John attended an Empty Cradle support meeting and finally felt supported in their grief. They began volunteering as meeting facilitators and became co-presidents in 2015. Rachel and John have four subsequent children.
John currently serves as co-president and treasurer. After John’s wife’s miscarriage in 2001 and the loss of his infant son, JT, in 2003, he was desperate to find support as a bereaved father. After finding Empty Cradle in 2010, John felt supported, but he still felt there was something missing in his grief journey. With the backing of the Board of Directors, John began a men’s break-out support group during the East County meetings. Even after passing on the meeting facilitation to new facilitators, Brian has continued to hold the men’s support. John continues to make father’s bereavement support a priority in his work with Empty Cradle.
Alexis currently serves as Vice President. She has served as the Secretary and a meeting facilitator for our East County/Central San Diego support meeting. On March 15, 2014 Alexis and her husband Brian lost their second child, Benjamin, when a car accident caused a placental abruption at 27 weeks. They have since gone on to have a subsequent child.
After losing her daughter at 10 weeks gestation, Amy found Empty Cradle but felt that her early loss wasn't as validated as others. Sharing these feelings in the group she was met with nothing but love and acceptance. Through the loss Amy became a certified bereavement doula through StillBirthday, and started volunteering with Empty Cradle. Amy is currently the meeting facilitator for our East County/Central San Diego support meeting, and nurse liaison for Empty Cradle.
