“You left me one last gift, the gift of being a father.”
A man who became a dad on the day his wife was killed has recreated their maternity shoot with their daughter one year later.
Yesenia Alvarez tragically died on August 11 last year after being struck by a drunk driver.
The baby girl she was eight months pregnant with was delivered to be raised by her dad, Yesenia’s husband James.
“You left me one last gift, the gift of being a father,” he wrote in a post shortly after his wife’s death.
Little Adalyn spent her first few weeks of life in NICU fighting to stay alive until James was finally able to bring her home as a healthy baby.
View this post on Instagram
For Adalyn’s first birthday, James has recreated the couple’s stunning pregnancy shoot in celebration of the mother who isn’t here to celebrate with them.
“We did Adalyn’s first birthday photoshoot in honor of my wife,” James wrote in an Instagram post showing the shoot. “Today, marks one year of losing my wife but also having our beautiful daughter become one year old. We had Adalyn dress up in a pink dress as her mommy did and took pictures at the same location where we did our maternity shoot.
“It’s been a tough journey but I did it with my head held high. I try to be the best father I could be for my daughter. I want to make my wife proud.”
The pictures show the father-daughter duo mimic the poses and outfits of the original photoshoot in an adorable tribute.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CScSL6MFFhU/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
In another post, James wrote: “The day you left, I lost a part of me but gained that piece back when we had our daughter.
“…I didn’t set out to be a single father or widower. I set out to be the best father I could be… And it hasn’t changed because giving up is not an option.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CSfIRSNBRts/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
James regularly shares updates on their daughter and uses the tragic story of her birth to discourage people from ever driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
“My daughter gave me a new reason to continue fighting,” he said. “[I’m] here standing strong and telling you to please don’t drink and drive.
“With irresponsible actions can take someone’s life and let me tell you, I wish this horrific pain upon no one. I lost my wife but most of all, my daughter will never know her mother. Please do the right thing and be responsible.”
