Fans of NBC news correspondent Richard Engel grieved alongside him and wife Mary Forrest when they announced their 6-year-old had died. Six months later, Mary is opening up about what the moments after Henry's death were like and the unusual way she handled her heartbreaking loss.
Mary described the week she spent visiting the funeral home in a new personal essay she shared on 'Today.'
In a heartbreakingly honest essay, Mary explored the "surreal" week that unfolded just before her son Henry was cremated when she spent at least an hour a day visiting her son's body.
"[The funeral home] would have him ready for me, and I'd go into the room and cry, stroke his hair, and face and rest my head next to his."
The grieving mother brought some of Henry's belongings with her.
Henry had Rett syndrome, a rare condition that caused him to lose motor function and language skills.
"I brought a different assortment of books and toys each time," she continued. "I'd push the buttons on the toys and listen to the sounds, which I had heard so many times when he had pushed them."
Although the rest of the time surrounding Henry's death was a blur, Mary said this part was very vivid.
The essay continued, and in great detail, describing how Mary woke up each morning feeling anxious to see her son.
"Each time I went I would stay for about an hour, then leave the room and head to the front door of the funeral home before turning back for one last goodbye," she explained, adding that she would then go home to see her younger son, Theo, who remained at the "the forefront" of her mind during her grieving.
Richard was concerned about his wife's behavior until he joined her for one of her special visits with their son.
Mary admitted that her husband was "hesitant" about the way she was dealing with their son's death but eventually accompanied her, where he "realized the value in having this time to do the impossible: attempt to say goodbye to Henry."
"I am thankful to have had that week," she continued, adding that she knows it's not something that everyone can or wants to do. "It was surreal, heartbreaking, gut-wrenching … and also filled with so much love."
We hope that the Engel family is able to remember their son Henry without feeling the sting of his loss.
It's been less than a year since they had to say their final goodbyes to Henry, who ultimately died as a result of complications from Rett syndrome.
Their heartbreak has to be unimaginable. We hope they've been able to grieve together in whatever way works best for them while finding a way to celebrate every moment they spent with their little boy.
