When Troy Austin toed the start line of the Sunshine Coast Marathon, he did so with an empty stroller. That’s because his son, T.J., passed away a year-and-a-half ago through a stillborn birth.
According to Global News, the 37-year-old firefighter from Australia ran the 26.2 miles in 5 hours, 17 minutes and 27 seconds to honor his son, raise awareness for stillborn births, educate others and fundraise to help other families who experience a similar tragedy.
“When the ultrasound started, the doctor went for the heartbeat first. After searching around, he said, ‘I can’t find a heartbeat.’ That was it… until that moment we had no idea about stillbirths,” Austin told Global News.
Following the Aug. 26 race, Austin wrote about his experience on Facebook and what it was like to push the empty stroller, or “pram.”
“‘Hey mate you have lost your kid?'”
“This phrase was a double edged sword, a sentence that was said so innocently at last weekends marathon,” he wrote.
“As we lined up at the start with other pram pushers and there children, running for great causes. This phrase was said for the first time, ‘Yes that’s the point’ the smile dropped from her face as she came for a hug and apologized. I smiled because at that moment it was the reaction I was hoping for and almost the last time it occurred throughout the day.
“Sometimes I could explain why the pram was empty….other times we smiled and moved on
No you can’t sit in and get a ride, no I am not picking my kid up on the last lap (wish I could).”
“We said from his birth we would take him with us wherever we went,” Austin told Global News. “Stillbirth isn’t publicized like cancer… no one wants to talk about a dead child. I think that’s why we didn’t put a sign on the [stroller], we wanted the questions without the turn of the heads and the silent pity. We wanted the voices.”
Austin and his wife, Kelly, started an EverydayHero page called T.J.’s Legacy to create awareness and end the stigma surrounding stillbirths as well as to raise money to help support other families who face the huge loss.
The couple’s heartache will never leave, but their caring actions allow them to move forward and help other families along the way. And for that, they deserve a standing ovation.
