By Debbie Stitzer-Brame, Executive Director
At Edmarc, every symbol we hold dear is rooted in love, compassion, and the deep understanding that a child’s life – no matter how brief – leaves an everlasting imprint on the hearts of those who love them. Among the most meaningful expressions of this understanding within our bereavement program are the intertwining hearts – a quiet, tender symbol created to honor connection, remembrance, and enduring love.
When a child’s life ends, the bond between parent and child does not. Love does not disappear with loss; it simply changes form. The intertwining hearts were designed to gently acknowledge this truth. Two hearts forever connected—one small and solid, the other larger and hollow—represent a relationship that continues even after death.
The smallest heart remains with the child. It is solid, whole, and complete—symbolizing the child’s purity, their essence, and the love that will forever belong to them. The larger heart remains with the parents. Hollow at its center, it reflects the profound absence that grief creates, while also holding space for memory, love, and connection. When the hearts are together, they fit perfectly—just as parent and child always have.
For many families, this simple yet powerful symbol becomes a source of comfort during an unimaginably painful time. It offers a tangible way to hold their child close when physical closeness is no longer possible. In moments when words fail, the intertwining hearts speak softly but clearly: You are still connected. You are still loved. You are not alone.
Parents choose to honor these hearts in deeply personal ways. Some wear the larger heart as a necklace, resting close to their own heart—a daily reminder that their child remains part of them, always. Others place it within a shadow box alongside photographs, hospital bracelets, handwritten notes, or tiny footprints—sacred objects that tell the story of a life deeply loved. Many families tuck the heart into a treasured memory box, where it becomes part of a private space for reflection, remembrance, and quiet moments of connection.
There is no single right way to grieve, and there is no single way to remember. The intertwining hearts honor that truth. They do not ask parents to move on or let go. Instead, they gently invite them to carry their child forward—in love, in memory, and in spirit.
Within Edmarc’s bereavement program, these hearts serve as more than a keepsake. They are a promise. A promise that a child’s life matters. A promise that their story will be honored. And a promise that parents will be supported not only in the days immediately following loss, but in the months and years that follow, as grief evolves and love remains.
Loss changes everything. It reshapes families, futures, and hearts. Yet even in the deepest sorrow, beauty can exist—found in remembrance, in connection, and in symbols that help make the unbearable just a little more bearable.
The intertwining hearts remind us that while grief may leave an empty space, love forever fills the connection between parent and child. And at Edmarc, it is our honor to walk beside families as they hold that love close—today, tomorrow, and always.