When there are no words

Becky and Kyle Radtke, of Capac, knew they would not have much time with their son, Brayden.

Diagnosed with Potter's Syndrome while still in the womb, Brayden would be born without kidneys or a bladder.

The Radtkes had the option to terminate the pregnancy at 18 weeks, but chose to deliver the baby at full term.

"We knew that it was a fatal diagnosis. We knew he would not survive, but we chose to carry everything out normally hoping we got five minutes with him if not more," Becky Radtke, 26, said.

She delivered the baby at McLaren Port Huron via C-section on Nov. 16, 2012, hoping the procedure would give him more time to live.

The hospital notified the Radtkes of a special service available to people in their situation. A professional photographer comes in to take remembrance photos of the family during their last moments with their child.

"He came out screaming just like any other baby," Radtke said. "He lived with us for two hours."

As nurses came in and out of the room to check Brayden's vitals, Fort Gratiot photographer Kelly Torres took photos of the couple taking turns holding their cleaned and swaddled newborn.

"They just kept kissing him until he died," Torres said. "I captured the moment, but I left there in pieces."

Torres is affiliated with a nonprofit organization called Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep. Founded in April 2005, the organization has 1,600 photographers in 40 countries offering free portraiture to parents suffering the loss of a baby.

"Most of the time they say no," Torres said. "It's not easy for someone to do this. You think to yourself, 'Who would do this?' I've even asked myself, 'How can you do this?' But I know I can, because, for me, I know where they're at. They're not gone. I know they're in heaven. I know they're taken care of."

Torres has worked with 18 families in the past five years at area hospitals.

"Sometimes I've gone at 2 o'clock in the morning. I bring little angel wings or stuffed animals," she said.

"It's really tough. Everybody's crying. The grandmas are crying. I'm pretty good about being professional while I'm there, but when I go and get in my car, I just lose it."

Torres has remained friends with the Radtkes, who went on to deliver a healthy baby boy, Raylan, on Jan. 9. Torres took photos of the couple with their new baby.

Christine and Tom Weiler, of Attica, had less time than the Radtkes to brace themselves for the loss of their baby.

Christine's pregnancy was at full term and her weekly doctor's visits had been normal. When she started having contractions, she checked herself into McLaren Port Huron.

That was the day her doctor could not detect the baby's heartbeat.

Their son, Cooper, had died from a cord accident. Two true knots were discovered in his umbilical cord.

"At first I thought they were wrong. Then I thought, 'What do we do now? We have to deliver the baby,'" Tom Weiler said. "That's what really got me at first. Obviously you have to. It was just awful."

The Weilers gave the hospital permission to contact Torres. She arrived in time to take photos of the Weilers holding Cooper, who was delivered stillborn on Oct. 15, 2013.

"It's not something you ever get over by any means, but with those pictures we have, we can sit down as a family and look through them. They make him real," Christine said. "Without pictures, people don't understand that this was a real-life baby. They kind of associate it with a miscarriage."

The Weilers and their son, Deegan, 3, still struggle with their loss, even though Christine is pregnant, due in April with a baby girl.

"We look forward to her, but it's incredibly difficult because she's not him. She can't replace him. As time goes on, it doesn't get easier, you just have a new normal," Christine said.

The couple called the photos from Torres a blessing. Torres gives families edited photos on CD, 4-by-6 prints, and a DVD with music.

"You're in there when they're in their most grieving, desperate time. God just put it in my heart to help these people," Torres said.

"Honestly, that was the best thing we could have done. We have pictures so we can look back on them when we feel we need to," Tom Weiler said.

The volunteer-based service is free and offered at McLaren Port Huron and St. John River District hospitals.

Contact Syeda Ferguson at (810) 989-6276 or email her at syeda@thetimesherald.com. Follow her on Twitter @shossainfe.