Testimonials
Thank you to all our families who have shared their stories with us, and given us permission to share photos of their child’s casts and frame. This allows us to show our supporters what their donations are providing, and helps other families walking a similar path to share in their journey.
“On the 24th of December I lost my three grandchildren. In the midst of our pain and suffering, Jen arrived to take casts of the babies feet and hands. To watch her take each of their little hands and feet and make a cast was very emotional. We had no idea what they would be like. A couple of months later we received the triplets casts. Each set of grandparents was also given a set of casts.
Being able to hold those casts, those tiny little feet of my grandchildren was and is something so very precious. They help me to remember my grandchildren, they keep them here with me and they help to heal. I hold them often and kiss them with love as a reminder of what was and a reminder of how beautiful and precious and perfect their little feet were.
I cannot express in enough words what they also mean to their parents, my son and daughter-in-law who treasure what they have of their precious babies. Too often babies are born and gone. To be able to hold something in your hands of what your babies were is beyond words – I cannot truly express what it means to have these casts. To have someone like Jen come in and offer this amazing service for free and give us, that are grieving, such precious timeless memories is incredible.”
With love, I give this testimony
Karen Cummins
Grandmother to Arya, Colton and Bree.
“The pain of losing a child is indescribable, and it never goes away. Unfortunately it happens far too much.
Angel Casts gave us the priceless gift of a beautiful frame with castings, also being able to hold my darling baby boy James’s hands and kiss his precious toes, and our gratitude is beyond words.
My daughter was only two when her brother was born sleeping, but she knows that she is a big sister to an angel baby, and holding James’s castings helps her when we talk about him.
I can’t thank Jen enough for what she has given us, there are no words that measure up to how grateful we are.
I can only hope that Jen gets the funding she so desperately needs to be able to continue to provide this precious gift to the families who will face this same heartbreak in times to come.”
Kylie MacKinnon (James’ mum)
“When seconds turn into minutes and days and so forth, and you are still here, still breathing only just starting to smile, to laugh – to function and most importantly live, – live without the child you lost there is nothing in this world to explain nor compare to the sheer hell and grief one goes through when this happens. Nothing.
The hospital called Jen from Angel Casts, I did not know her or what she does, trust me, people who come and do these things for infant loss, truly are angels from god themselves, to do this then go home to their families? Kiss their children?
She treated us and our son with the utmost respect and dignity, making memories for us to last forever. You don’t think, oh I need photos, or oh I need castings done all you are thinking is my heart has just been ripped from my chest. Bringing my son’s free beautiful and truly the most priceless things I own, home was like bringing his personality home for us, his beautiful photos his wonderful feet and hands to see and touch, not just for us but for family and friends to see, for his brother to look at it and explain to his friends who his brother is, our son’s life made special when he could have been forgotten…… truly if I won the lotto, guess who would be on my “lotto list”.
So many families….. so many angels… there is no better gift.”
Anna Gawn (Axel’s Mum)
“I really can’t describe how much they mean to me … they are priceless. ‘Thank you’ seems such a poor and little response. But the thank you’s from families hold so much meaning and value behind it. To be able to see and hold her hands and feet means so much – I didn’t get to hold her for very long but I will have her casts forever. I’ve had friends and family who have lost a child say that they wish your service was around then for them. Please remember how wonderful, kind and giving you are, and that there are a number of people who are thankful you came into their lives at a dark time.
Julena – Quinn’s Mum
“Thank you Angel Casts for capturing Lachlan’s hand so beautifully for us to treasure forever. We spent Lach’s entire life holding his hand to comfort him and to comfort us. We simply can’t express what it means to forever be able to see his little hand in ours, and remember the warmth of it and the softness of his skin. We are so grateful to Angel Casts for offering such and amazing gift to us parents…”
Joey – Lachlan’s Dad
“…Just to hold and look at them and see his little bent toe that’s the same as his sisters, (which I didn’t notice in the short time we had with him). Grandparents notice the little things that each grandchild has and wonder where in the family it came from…”
Joanna – Sebastian’s Grandmother
“We are so grateful for our baby’s casts. We have them up in our lounge so there isn’t a day that goes by that we don’t look at them and think of him. I asked my boys what they love about Carters casts and they said ‘it helps us to remember him’. Someone asked me a few months ago if there was a fire what’s the one thing you would grab out of your house on the way out, and I said ‘Carters casts’ because that’s all we have left of him and they mean the world to us. We also used Carters casts in our rainbow baby’s newborn shoot so he was included with his 3 brothers in the picture. Without this service all we would have of him is a lock of his hair that I’ve kept.”
Tara-Lynn – Carter’s Mum
“I received my casts of my baby girl only days before Christmas last year. There was nothing more heart warming. It’s nice knowing that when I want to hold my little girls hand the cast is there. At first I must admit it was so hard, knowing that’s how big her hands were before she left us. Sometimes looking at them bring back painful memories, but of course they bring more happier memories than bad. I’m glad I have something to show her future siblings, so they can see how small their big sister was, and so I can get photo done with every single one of my future rainbow babies holding their sisters casts.”
Zaria – Te Puna Whakaaio’s (Aio) Mum
Creating Your Cherished Memories
Other Memory Making Services
Other Partner Services
There are many wonderful charities and businesses around New Zealand who offer keepsake and memory making services to bereaved families. We’ve compiled a few below.
