Finding Strength and Support After Loss: Michael Cason’s CuddleCot Story with His Son Reagan

Losing a child is an unimaginable grief, one that no parent should have to endure alone. While nothing can take away the pain, finding support in those darkest moments can make all the difference. Michael Cason’s story of losing his son, Reagan, just six days before his due date is a powerful reminder that grief doesn’t need to be faced in isolation. Through the use of a CuddleCot, Michael and his wife were given the precious gift of time—time to hold their son, say their goodbyes, and create lasting memories. In sharing his journey, Michael encourages both mothers and fathers to seek support after loss, finding hope and healing in community and faith.

Michael Cason

My name is Michael, and on February 25th, 2023, our precious son, Reagan, passed away just

six days before his due date. My wife and I sat in that hospital room, feeling as though our

hearts had shattered into pieces, scattered on the floor around us. The weight of grief was

almost unbearable as we faced the greatest tragedy of our lives. It was in that overwhelming

darkness that our nurse gently introduced us to a machine we never imagined needing—the

Cuddle Cot.

This machine, though something no family ever wants to encounter, gave us the most profound

gift: time. Time with our son, time to hold him, and time to try and capture every detail of his

perfect little body. It gave us the chance to memorize every inch of him, so that, as the days

slipped by, our memories of him wouldn’t fade. For 12 hours, we were able to sit with Reagan, to

touch him, to imagine all he might have become. In that sacred space, we were allowed to

simply *be* with him—without rush, without interruption. We played worship music, we sat in

silence, and we cried. There were moments of pure agony, knowing that all we wanted was to

hold our living child. But in those moments, the Cuddle Cot gave us something irreplaceable:

time to say goodbye in our own way.

Now, nearly two years later, we look back with gratitude for the hospital staff who understood the

depth of our pain and allowed us to grieve without pressure. They knew that words couldn’t heal

us, that nothing could change the unbearable reality we were facing. But they gave us time.

Time to sit, to cry, to scream if we needed to. And as a husband, in that moment of

unimaginable loss, all I could do was hold my wife—just hold her—and continue to do so even

now.

If you are reading this and considering providing a Cuddle Cot to a hospital, please know it is a

gift beyond words. While no family ever wishes to need it, for those who do, it can make all the

difference in the world. If you are a nurse or doctor that works directly with families that have to

use a Cuddle Cot, do not underestimate the power of your presence. You are changing the

world.

And to the fathers who are enduring this deep and searing pain, I want to offer you hope. The

days ahead will be hard, and the grief will never fully disappear, but like a wound that eventually

heals into a scar, your heart will find its way through this. In time, the sun will shine again.

Surround yourself with people who can sit with you in your sorrow. For me, it was my church—a

community that helped me find my footing again and trust that while God allowed this to

happen, He did not cause it. We live in a broken world, but I believe that every moment of

suffering can be used for His glory. That, and that alone, is how I choose to honor my son’s life.

I am making it through one day at a time, and I promise you will too.

Thank you, Cuddle Cot, for giving us the time we so desperately needed with our son. You

stood in the gap for our family, and for that, we are forever grateful.

Michael’s story is a powerful reminder of the irreplaceable gift that time can be during a period of immense loss. For grieving parents, like Michael and his wife, having the opportunity to say goodbye without the rush of a hospital clock is priceless. The CuddleCot provides that time, allowing families to hold onto precious moments with their child before saying farewell. Michael’s message to fathers, and to anyone grieving, is that healing is possible—one day at a time. By sharing Reagan’s story, Michael hopes to inspire more families to find support in their grief and encourages others to make the CuddleCot available to hospitals everywhere.