Central Florida woman uses tragic loss of daughter to create program that uplifts grieving parents.

WINTER PARK, Fla. —

Noelle Moore Fernandez is the founder and executive director of The Finley Project, named after her baby girl, who she never got to take home.

“Everything you had planned for, everything that you already laid out, you know, the nursery set up and now you won't get to take her home. The childcare you had set up for a few months later, you no longer need all the things you already planned," Fernandez said. "Having to wrap your head around that is just absolutely devastating.”

It's a sorrow that never truly goes away.

“The emergency C-section happened and Finley was put on life support. It was over those weeks and days of her being on life support, that they were starting to tell us that she may never have a quality of life," Fernandez said.

After four weeks on life support, Fernandez had to make a heartbreaking decision and Finley took her last breath.

“I just remember gathering with friends and family and then having to leave her there, like, how do you leave your child there? I was so desperate. I did not know how I was going to be able to continue to move forward because what I just saw, I will never forget,” Fernandez said.

When she got home, the loss was too great for Fernandez to bear. A few months earlier, her father had passed, and after Finley, her marriage didn't make it.

“I knew I needed help because I was in such a bad place,” Fernandez said.

Noelle went to weekly counseling, a grief support group and eventually was connected with another mother who lost an older child — but she felt it wasn't enough.

That's when The Finley Project was born.

Fernandez created a seven-part holistic healing program. It includes everything from counseling to cleaning your home.

“No one plans for their child to die. So, we help actually plan the funeral. We provide meal gift cards or meal delivery services for the family,” Fernandez said.

Taylor Smith and Cara Berry know the importance of Finley's legacy. Both mothers lost their children, Benjamin and Liam, unexpectedly.

“It truly changed my life. I knew that I had others who I could lean on, who understood why I was so angry and sad,” Smith said.

“To have other people talk about my Liam, use his name and say his name and give me an outlet to talk about him, it's literally everything,” Berry said.

In addition to hosting mother's breakfasts and get togethers, The Finley project also launched a men's group.

Joe Raiker lost his son Berkeley after just six months. The Finley Project helped alleviate some of the pain, and he wants the community to know this service is out there.

“For us, I think it's really just about raising awareness for The Finley Project and more and more people being aware of it so that we can help more families," Raiker said.

Fernandez and the Finley project have brought comfort during the unimaginable loss of a child and that makes them a CommUNITY Champion.

“I know now that my purpose is to save women's lives, save families lives. I always prayed when she was in the hospital that she'd be a world changer. So, I think she still is,” Fernandez said.