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San Francisco 49ers All-Pro offensive tackle Trent Williams' wife, Sondra, announced she gave birth to a stillborn son late last week in a post shared on her Instagram account Sunday (December 1), having initially been pregnant with twins and losing the other child earlier in the pregnancy.
“I can’t even begin to describe how I felt leaving the hospital without you,” she wrote. “Nor how it feels being home celebrating Thanksgiving without my baby in my arms. My heart is broken and my arms are empty. But I know you’ll always be near watching over me and your sisters. And for that, my heart smiles with gratitude. Thank God for allowing us to bond for 35 weeks and for me to birth you so I could hold you in my arms. I’m at peace knowing you will never have to suffer.”
Sondra said her son was diagnosed with Trisomy 13, a genetic condition commonly known as Patau syndrome, which affects the development of the face, brain and hearth, as well as several internal organs. Trent, who had previously suffered an ankle injury during the Niners' Week 10 win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, was ruled out for Sunday's (December 1) loss to the Buffalo Bills.
“He was there at the hospital with her and got to meet him and say bye,” said Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan on Monday via the Associated Press. “Then he had to cremate him on Friday. So he’s been dealing with that and he’s working through it. But we’re all just trying to be here for him through it all.”
The Niners had previously experienced a similar tragedy earlier in the season when cornerback Charvarius Ward's 1-year-old daughter, Amani Joy, died on October 28. Trent Williams is an 11-time Pro Bowler and has been selected as a first-team All-Pro during each of the past three consecutive seasons.