In the episode of their podcast titled “Unplanned” that is now being broadcast, Matt and Abby Howard are discussing the heartbreaking death of their third child.
In a voiceover that could be heard at the very beginning of the podcast, Matt expressed his gratitude to the audience for reaching out to the couple at what he described as a “very challenging time.”
Continuing on, Matt said that the couple’s unborn child had reached the age of 17 weeks gestation at the time of the unfortunate loss. According to Matt, the child was mature enough “to hear Abby’s voice.”
“She had little hands, little fingers, little toes,” Matt said to me. “We’re still processing that.”
According to Matt, the show, which was taped, featured guest influencer Shay Martin, whose husband Tanner passed away recently from colon cancer after they had their first child together. Shay Martin’s spouse Tanner had just passed away.
As a way of expressing his gratitude to his followers once again, he said, “Thank you so much for your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.”
The content producers from Arizona revealed to People that they were expecting another child, and their loss happened little over a month after they made the announcement. On Saturday, September 27, the Howards, who are parents to two kids named Griffin, who is three years old, and August, who is two years old, made the first announcement of the devastating news via a combined post on Instagram.
They started their long and dramatic description with the words, “It is with very heavy hearts that we share about the loss of our baby girl born far too early.” The post was accompanied by a picture of the pair holding hands. One may see Abby donning a medical gown and a bracelet that indicates her admittance to the hospital.
“Our doctor was unable to locate a heartbeat at a regular checkup scheduled for our pregnancy. Almost immediately after that, they brought us in for an ultrasound, during which the technician whispered words that we will never forget: “I am so sorry I do not have good news,” the co-hosts of the podcast resumed the conversation.
After that, Matt and Abby were informed that they were expecting a girl, but they were also informed that she “had a genetic condition that took her life around 17 weeks gestation.” This is according to their account of the events that transpired.
“The news felt unimaginable,” the message continued a little further. Experiencing loss is an utterly heartbreaking experience. We are, nevertheless, filled with an immense sense of thankfulness for the time that we were able to spend with her. There is yet a chance for us. Hope has continued to manifest itself for us in a myriad of different ways.
As they “grieve and continue to think of ways to honor her life offline,” the influencers finished by expressing their gratitude for “thoughts and prayers” sent during this difficult time. “Thank you everyone for celebrating this precious life with us for the past 17 weeks.”
In November of 2024, the high school sweethearts shared with PEOPLE that their biggest priority is protecting their privacy, and that they collaborate in order to regulate their information in accordance with this concern. They said that they do not publish any anything without first obtaining both of their signatures on the post.
“Privacy is very important for our family, so that’s an area that we run by each other,” Abby stated in the fall of the previous year. “Anything that pertains to the health of our children is something that is of utmost significance. And specifics on the area, whether it be while we are traveling or when we are in our own home.