THREE years ago, Janelle Giri’s life was forever changed when her baby girl, Jacqlyn, tragically passed away in her sleep from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
It has been an unimaginable journey of grief for Janelle and her husband after enduring the loss of their firstborn who was just nine months old. “You don’t really know the pain unless you’ve gone through it,” Janelle said. “They had no explanation, but she was a healthy baby.”
Given the cause of SIDS is unknown, with clinicians and researchers believing that SIDS is associated with a combination of factors, navigating the pain had been even more difficult for the couple to come to terms with. But instead of letting grief consume her, Janelle turned her energies to fundraising nearly $3000, and has now donated a rainbow-coloured bench to the Mornington Cemetery.
The bench, which sits metres from Jacqlyn’s resting place, has the words emblazoned, “If tears could build a stairway and memories a lane we would walk right back to heaven and bring you back again – in loving memory of daughter Jacqlyn Komal Jayasekara 20/09/2020-02/07/2021”.
Janelle said the bench wasn’t just for her family, but for all parents to find comfort and solace. “I just want to let other families and parents know that they’re not alone in their grief journey,” she said. “It’s really open for the public; just for anybody, any parents, to sit and reflect. “I hope the rainbow just brings a smile to their face or it just makes the baby lawn just look really colourful at the cemetery.” Janelle added Jacqlyn’s favourite show was Cocomelon “that’s why I have added the logo to her seat; we also got her coffin designed with Cocomelon too”.
Janelle expressed her heartfelt gratitude to everyone that contributed to the GoFundMe over three months, as well as the Mornington Peninsula Cemetery Trust’s senior cemeteries officer Jenny Brown, who she said had been a pillar of support and kindness throughout the whole process.
To further honour her daughter’s memory, Janelle selflessly donated her baby items to families in need and through charities including baby formula, nappies, wipes, toys, even her cot. “I didn’t want any money … I just felt like another family in need could use these good quality items.”
Janelle is today blessed to have a second child Juliett, who will soon turn one. “I’m so happy but it does open a lot of wounds, it really does, because Juliett is going to be one, so I’ve gone past the nine months. “I was organising Jacqlyn’s first birthday; now I’m organising Juliett’s first birthday, so I have that fear in me.”
Janelle, who previously lived in Glenroy, was recently nominated in the Merri-bek Community Awards as an “extraordinary woman”. She said she hoped the rainbow bench would remain a beautiful and meaningful part of her and her husband’s healing journey.
First published in the Mornington News – 19 November 2024
