The Donat Hancock Family: Love after Loss.

Hi my name is Morgan, In February of 2022, we were joyously preparing to welcome our first child into our family. Things changed rapidly when I was diagnosed with preeclampsia and was scheduled to have labor induced on February 26th. The next hours turned into a nightmare when very serious complications required an emergency C-section. We would find out that my uterus had ruptured. The lives of both myself and our newborn son Marshall were in danger, but through the work of skilled medical staff at Beacon Children’s Hospital, in South Bend, IN, both were saved. Our immense gratitude to them remains. Through the next two and a half years, despite his precarious entry into this world, Marshall met all of his developmental milestones and was a vibrant, joyful, delightful little boy, the center of life for us and our extended family. He was so loved and he loved us beyond measure. The unthinkable occurred in September of 2024 when Marshall suffered a medical emergency from which he would not recover. Marshall was diagnosed with pneumonia and had a febrile seizure. We immediately found ourselves in an alien world of darkness, despair, and numbing grief. We made the decision for Marshall to be an organ donor, and this set us on a path of finding ways to honor him. It has become our mission to support others who experience the trauma of complicated birth and the devastation of child loss. One of our greatest sources of hope and rebuilding has been our ever-expanding garden. Marshall was a fresh air little boy. He was a man of action, mowing with Mike, harvesting vegetables with Morgan, gathering eggs from his beloved chickie-poos, or watching his bees buzz from flower to flower. He was known to sneak out to the garden for “treats “of fresh lettuce and baby carrots. The garden was such a happy place for him. We are learning that by continuing to nurture and watch plants grow, we are honoring Marshall and are finding it is possible to carry light beside our grief. This has led us to the creation of the Marshall Pierce Foundation, where we aspire to support others in their journeys of growth and healing. We have started a non-profit in memory of our child. This loss has forever changed our lives and our DNA. As we have navigated this grief we have decided to try for another child, after much thought, prayers, and meditation. We have not made this choice lightly. We found out that because of the trauma that I endured during labor I can’t carry a baby as it is not safe for me or for the child. There would be life-threating consequences. We have made the decision to go down the path of surrogacy. I will update as we can. We will be starting our first cycle soon, today is 10/15/2026. Please check back for updates. We are forever grateful for all the support we have and will receive. Much Love, Mike and Morgan. Our profile picture is from our local Ronald McDonald House Charity Gala, where we shared our story and how RMHC changed our lives. Marshall is in both of the photos with us on either side.