Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
LEHI — Much of Correy Rasmuson's basement is filled with crayons, coloring books, toys and games. The items are not for her own children but are for some she'll never know.
"I don't actually care if I meet them even," Rasmuson said, "just to help other people, that's all I really care about."
The 34-year-old Lehi resident started collecting items for boxes meant to comfort kids in the hospital. It was an idea created from her own experience during a devastating visit hospital visit while pregnant in 2013.
"They scanned me and scanned me, and nothing," Rasmuson said. "Then suddenly it just hit me and I realized he wasn't moving, and I knew something was wrong."
Doctors couldn't find her baby's heartbeat. Her unborn son, Dakota, was gone at 19 weeks. She now honors him with what she calls "Christmas Eve boxes" which are filled with toys and given to children sick in the hospital. Each box bears the special label from her nonprofit organization: For the Love of Dakota.
Rasmuson found out her baby had died in utero on Christmas Eve but doctors waited to induce her until the day after Christmas.
"We went through roughly 12 hours of labor and my beautiful, perfect little boy, Dakota was born. He had 10 tiny fingers and 10 tiny toes," she wrote on lovefordakota.org. "The hardest thing in this world was leaving my little boy at the cemetery. I wanted so badly to run back and scoop him up and just hold him."
The holiday season became a source of pain for her until she decided to make something positive from her experience.
Each month, Rasmuson drops off dozens of the boxes to the Ronald McDonald House in Salt Lake City.
"It's not that much, but it's just a little box to show them that somebody cares and we're thinking of them," she said.
Many of the items the family buys; others are donated. Each box is valued at $30, a price Rasmuson said is worth every penny.
"I honestly just do it for the smiles. It's all I really care about," she said. "I just love putting a smile on their face, even if it's just for a few minutes. You know, it's worth it."
Rasmuson plans to donate 50 boxes next month, and in September she plans to quadruple that amount. For more information on her organization visit www.lovefordakota.org.
Contributing: Tracie Snowder
