Grieving Mom Sells Clever T-Shirts to Help Fund Adoption

(Instagram / @rachel_george3)

An Illinois mom is channeling her grief into a t-shirt line in order to raise funds for adoption. Rachel George, and her husband, Sam, have suffered unimaginable loss: their son son Clive Samuel passed away almost two years ago at 5 weeks old, and their daughter Winnie Joy died eight months ago when she was just 9 days old. The children had unrelated, non-genetic heart conditions, two “horrible cases of lightning striking twice,” Rachel told Babble. My heart breaks for them.

Rachel has been chronicling her life on her Instagram feed, and she tries to focus on the love and happiness her children brought to her.

”We are so glad to have met our children and shown them love for their entire lives,” she says. ”They are incredible blessings and have taught us so much.” After losing two children, plus a miscarriage, Rachel and Sam have decided to expand their family through adoption. They hope to receive a placement within the next two years.

In the meantime, Rachel is fundraising for their adoption with a line of coffee-related t-shirts. The shirts are available online in her Etsy Shop, Trees and Flowers, and in person at the couple’s Illinois coffee shop, Mad Goat Coffee. Rachel says the shirts do more than just raise money for adoption costs. ”My plans for raising Winnie were completely smashed ”¦ my job of ”˜mom’ was ripped from me again,” she wrote. ”It all sounds so dramatic when I write it down, but I really think that making my first batch of Trees & Flowers shirts last year brought a tiny sliver of meaning back into my meaningless days. My hands were busy, my mind was distracted, and a making some silly shirts just might have saved my life.”

My personal favorite is the “Pot Head” shirt, because I live for puns and coffee.

Are you a pot head?
via Etsy / Flowers and Trees

The Georges are focusing on what they hope their family will look like in the future, but they’ll always incorporate Clive and Winnie. “We can’t wait to tell them about Clive’s huge grin, fighting spirit, and strength,” Rachel wrote about her future children. ”We can’t wait to tell them about Winnie’s sweet, tender personality, beautiful lips, and peaceful spirit.  They will always be a part of our family.”

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