Sending condolences. Sarah Herron and her fiancé, Dylan Brown, received an outpouring of support from members of Bachelor Nation after revealing the death of their son, Oliver.
Herron, 36, shared an emotional Instagram post on Wednesday, February 1, announcing that she delivered the infant at 24 weeks on January 28. “He passed away in his dad’s arms shortly after,” she wrote. “There are no words for the magnitude of loss and pain we’re experiencing. It’s beautiful and simultaneously tragic. He had my nose and his dad’s mouth and long fingers.”
The Colorado native, who appeared on Sean Lowe‘s season 17 of The Bachelor in 2013, noted that she felt “grateful” for the time she had with her little one before his death. “Oliver, our IVF miracle, defied so many odds and fought through so many hard milestones to be here, but the higher powers still had other plans for the three of us,” she wrote, adding that the duo’s son “taught us so much” about their lives. “Oliver filled our home and hearts with so much love and most importantly, optimism. The stars aligned to create Baby Oliver with a deep, meaningful purpose bigger than we’ll ever understand. His body was small, but his legacy will always be larger than life to us.”
Herron continued: “While our hearts are shattered beyond comprehension, we are comforted knowing that our son’s soul only ever knew love and will not suffer in a body that wasn’t built for this life. We’ll never understand the cruelty of it all, but through the darkness, Oliver remains so so bright. We love you so much, baby boy. You will never be replaced. You are so perfect and awesome.”
Us Weekly exclusively confirmed in September 2022 that the advertising exec was pregnant after experiencing fertility challenges. “It’s very early still, and I know many families prefer to keep pregnancy private until after the first trimester, but I have shared entire fertility journey since day one,” she told Us at the time, revealing that the couple had “no luck” after “exactly two years” of attempting to conceive naturally.
Herron was diagnosed with Diminished Ovarian Reserve, which prompted her and the photographer to explore IVF. “I’m so unbelievably grateful to have a partner who’s so supportive and gentle through this whole process,” she told Us. “Dylan has been an incredible rock and is strong for both of us when it has felt too heavy at times. He’s a rugged man but so tender at heart.”
Brown proposed in May 2021 after four years of dating. When the twosome announced their pregnancy, Herron told Us that the wedding planning process was “on hold,” adding, “The idea of our little baby getting to attend our wedding with mom and dad someday feels really beautiful to me, so we’ll wait until that day is right.”
As fans and friends sent their love to the couple on Wednesday, Herron wrote via her Instagram Story: “Thank you all so much for the messages. I think I’ve read 8000+ of them overnight. It helps to hear your stories.”
Scroll down to see how Bachelor Nation stars are supporting Herron and Brown as they cope with their loss: