09/25/2025
Everyone say hello to our grant winners Jaleesa & Dorian 🤍 "After almost five years together, Dorian proposed on November 2, 2022. Exactly one month later, on December 1st (our dating anniversary) we sealed the deal and said “I do.” Now, almost three years into marriage, our love continues to grow stronger every day.
From the beginning, building a family has been one of our greatest dreams. We never imagined the struggles we would face along the way. We began trying in July 2021, thinking it would just happen naturally, but month after month, there was no pregnancy. Testing revealed difficult news: I have a low egg reserve, and Dorian has a low s***m count with no morphology.
Then, on December 30, 2023, we got the surprise of a lifetime. On a whim, I took a pregnancy test and saw the faintest little line. In disbelief, I took several more, and each one gave the same result. A doctor confirmed what we had hoped for so long, we were pregnant.
But only a few days later, I began bleeding. The nurse advised pelvic and bed rest, but soon the cramping came, and I knew in my heart we were losing our baby. Dorian held onto hope, but the reality sank in quickly. At the follow-up, a urine test confirmed I was no longer pregnant. My bloodwork showed declining HCG levels, and just two days later, there was none left. It was devastating.
Even in our heartbreak, we clung to faith. Knowing IVF was an option brought some comfort, though the financial weight of it all felt crushing. As a teacher, my insurance only covers diagnostic testing, leaving us to shoulder the rest. Still, we pressed forward, completing our testing, going through consultations, and starting to save for our future.
Then came a blessing we never expected: winning this grant. When I received the call, I cried tears I’ll never forget. My husband smiled and said, “We may not have won the billion-dollar Powerball, but we won something better.”
With God’s grace, the love of our family, and this incredible support, we continue to hold onto hope. Believing that one day, we will bring home our miracle baby."
