Cooper Phillips Hess

Some of you may know about the Hess twins, Carson and Cooper, that were born prematurely. They have both been fighting in the NICU for over a month . . . and their parents, Lauren and Andrew, have shown such strength, grace and devotion.

Cooper, who was the worse off (physically) of the two since birth, passed away last night. His intestines were basically a dead mass that would never grow and allow him to receive nourishment. They did not know this until they attempted surgery yesterday to remove what they thought was just a blockage. The doctors were amazed he hung on this long.

While we never were able to personally meet Cooper, he has left a profound impact on so many. He showed courage, will to survive, and unconditional love no matter how many times he was poked and prodded or how terrible he felt. A special prayer goes out to Andrew, Lauren and Carson as they try to figure out what the next steps are and how to best survive the road ahead.