Santino "Sonny" Magnani Degenhard, 4 month old infant, of Cameron, NC passed away on Thursday, March 15, 2012. Sonny was born on October 25, 2011 in Cumberland County, NC
The last time Rachel Degenhard saw her son's smile was March 9, 2012, as she dropped him off at Pope Child Development Center on Fort Bragg, where she and her husband are soldiers. Jason Degenhard was on assignment at the time.
Sonny suffocated on the floor during tummy time while a child care worker got the room ready for the day by cleaning bottles and putting sheets on mattresses. The baby boy was on life support for six days before his death was official on March 15, 2012.
"The last time I saw him, he was a beautiful, healthy boy," Jason Degenhard said. Now, his wife spends every Friday reading to their 4-month-old son at his grave site.
"The first time I got any details was when I requested it from the state's investigation, and I received it in September – six months later," said Jason Degenhard, who has tirelessly poured over the documents, trying to understand how his son died without child care workers noticing.
At Sonny's funeral, Jason Degenhard delivered his son's eulogy and talked about how he and his wife had prayed for years to have a baby.
"Four years of our patience turned into four months of pure love. He was alive for exactly 142 days, and unofficially, I think he received 10,000 kisses," he said. "I can actually say that I helped bring him into this world, as I watched him be pulled from his mother's womb. And I held him as he left for heaven's gate."
The grieving father remembered special times with his son, including watching Jeopardy and cooking shows together and cuddling after bath time. During the eulogy, Jason Degenhard also read a letter that his wife had written for their son's funeral.
"I want my heart to memorize each one of these moments, things not captured by video or camera – his touch, his smell, the emotion that consumed our family whenever we looked at him," Rachel Degenhard wrote. "One of life's greatest blessings is children. I'm very grateful for the time God allowed us to have this most precious and divine gift from heaven. There are no words of comfort or length of time that can take away the pain of losing a child ... I look forward to the day that we can hold him again and hear his laughter and see his wonderful smile."
Sonny was a beautiful blessing during his short time on earth. He is preceded in death by his paternal grandfather, Jack Degenhard (Memorial# 101740434); maternal great-grandmother, Catalina Lara Cortez, uncle, Erik Degenhard and cousin, Taylor Degenhard. He is survived by his mother, Rachel Contreras Degenhard and father, Jason Robert Degenhard, both of the home; three sisters, Alexandria Degenhard, of Canton, OH, Julia Contreras and Carmen Contreras, both of the home; a brother, Michael Degenhard, of Canton, OH; maternal grandmother, Isabelle Levy and husband A.J. of Lexington Park, MD; maternal grandfather, Manuel Contreras of Claremont, CA; paternal grandmother, Judith Degenhard of Canton, OH; four uncles, Jarrod Degenhard of Louisville, OH, Derek Degenhard, Manuel Anthony Contreras and Angel Samuel Contreras.
Most of the information for this memorial is from the WRAL.com news story, reporter Kelcey Carlson and photographer Greg Clark)
http://www.wral.com/news/local/wral_investigates/video/12150774/
The last time Rachel Degenhard saw her son's smile was March 9, 2012, as she dropped him off at Pope Child Development Center on Fort Bragg, where she and her husband are soldiers. Jason Degenhard was on assignment at the time.
Sonny suffocated on the floor during tummy time while a child care worker got the room ready for the day by cleaning bottles and putting sheets on mattresses. The baby boy was on life support for six days before his death was official on March 15, 2012.
"The last time I saw him, he was a beautiful, healthy boy," Jason Degenhard said. Now, his wife spends every Friday reading to their 4-month-old son at his grave site.
"The first time I got any details was when I requested it from the state's investigation, and I received it in September – six months later," said Jason Degenhard, who has tirelessly poured over the documents, trying to understand how his son died without child care workers noticing.
At Sonny's funeral, Jason Degenhard delivered his son's eulogy and talked about how he and his wife had prayed for years to have a baby.
"Four years of our patience turned into four months of pure love. He was alive for exactly 142 days, and unofficially, I think he received 10,000 kisses," he said. "I can actually say that I helped bring him into this world, as I watched him be pulled from his mother's womb. And I held him as he left for heaven's gate."
The grieving father remembered special times with his son, including watching Jeopardy and cooking shows together and cuddling after bath time. During the eulogy, Jason Degenhard also read a letter that his wife had written for their son's funeral.
"I want my heart to memorize each one of these moments, things not captured by video or camera – his touch, his smell, the emotion that consumed our family whenever we looked at him," Rachel Degenhard wrote. "One of life's greatest blessings is children. I'm very grateful for the time God allowed us to have this most precious and divine gift from heaven. There are no words of comfort or length of time that can take away the pain of losing a child ... I look forward to the day that we can hold him again and hear his laughter and see his wonderful smile."
Sonny was a beautiful blessing during his short time on earth. He is preceded in death by his paternal grandfather, Jack Degenhard (Memorial# 101740434); maternal great-grandmother, Catalina Lara Cortez, uncle, Erik Degenhard and cousin, Taylor Degenhard. He is survived by his mother, Rachel Contreras Degenhard and father, Jason Robert Degenhard, both of the home; three sisters, Alexandria Degenhard, of Canton, OH, Julia Contreras and Carmen Contreras, both of the home; a brother, Michael Degenhard, of Canton, OH; maternal grandmother, Isabelle Levy and husband A.J. of Lexington Park, MD; maternal grandfather, Manuel Contreras of Claremont, CA; paternal grandmother, Judith Degenhard of Canton, OH; four uncles, Jarrod Degenhard of Louisville, OH, Derek Degenhard, Manuel Anthony Contreras and Angel Samuel Contreras.
Most of the information for this memorial is from the WRAL.com news story, reporter Kelcey Carlson and photographer Greg Clark)
http://www.wral.com/news/local/wral_investigates/video/12150774/
Santino "Sonny" Magnani Degenhard, 4 month old infant, of Cameron, NC passed away on Thursday, March 15, 2012. Sonny was born on October 25, 2011 in Cumberland County, NC
The last time Rachel Degenhard saw her son's smile was March 9, 2012, as she dropped him off at Pope Child Development Center on Fort Bragg, where she and her husband are soldiers. Jason Degenhard was on assignment at the time.
Sonny suffocated on the floor during tummy time while a child care worker got the room ready for the day by cleaning bottles and putting sheets on mattresses. The baby boy was on life support for six days before his death was official on March 15, 2012.
"The last time I saw him, he was a beautiful, healthy boy," Jason Degenhard said. Now, his wife spends every Friday reading to their 4-month-old son at his grave site.
"The first time I got any details was when I requested it from the state's investigation, and I received it in September – six months later," said Jason Degenhard, who has tirelessly poured over the documents, trying to understand how his son died without child care workers noticing.
At Sonny's funeral, Jason Degenhard delivered his son's eulogy and talked about how he and his wife had prayed for years to have a baby.
"Four years of our patience turned into four months of pure love. He was alive for exactly 142 days, and unofficially, I think he received 10,000 kisses," he said. "I can actually say that I helped bring him into this world, as I watched him be pulled from his mother's womb. And I held him as he left for heaven's gate."
The grieving father remembered special times with his son, including watching Jeopardy and cooking shows together and cuddling after bath time. During the eulogy, Jason Degenhard also read a letter that his wife had written for their son's funeral.
"I want my heart to memorize each one of these moments, things not captured by video or camera – his touch, his smell, the emotion that consumed our family whenever we looked at him," Rachel Degenhard wrote. "One of life's greatest blessings is children. I'm very grateful for the time God allowed us to have this most precious and divine gift from heaven. There are no words of comfort or length of time that can take away the pain of losing a child ... I look forward to the day that we can hold him again and hear his laughter and see his wonderful smile."
Sonny was a beautiful blessing during his short time on earth. He is preceded in death by his paternal grandfather, Jack Degenhard (Memorial# 101740434); maternal great-grandmother, Catalina Lara Cortez, uncle, Erik Degenhard and cousin, Taylor Degenhard. He is survived by his mother, Rachel Contreras Degenhard and father, Jason Robert Degenhard, both of the home; three sisters, Alexandria Degenhard, of Canton, OH, Julia Contreras and Carmen Contreras, both of the home; a brother, Michael Degenhard, of Canton, OH; maternal grandmother, Isabelle Levy and husband A.J. of Lexington Park, MD; maternal grandfather, Manuel Contreras of Claremont, CA; paternal grandmother, Judith Degenhard of Canton, OH; four uncles, Jarrod Degenhard of Louisville, OH, Derek Degenhard, Manuel Anthony Contreras and Angel Samuel Contreras.
Most of the information for this memorial is from the WRAL.com news story, reporter Kelcey Carlson and photographer Greg Clark)
http://www.wral.com/news/local/wral_investigates/video/12150774/
The last time Rachel Degenhard saw her son's smile was March 9, 2012, as she dropped him off at Pope Child Development Center on Fort Bragg, where she and her husband are soldiers. Jason Degenhard was on assignment at the time.
Sonny suffocated on the floor during tummy time while a child care worker got the room ready for the day by cleaning bottles and putting sheets on mattresses. The baby boy was on life support for six days before his death was official on March 15, 2012.
"The last time I saw him, he was a beautiful, healthy boy," Jason Degenhard said. Now, his wife spends every Friday reading to their 4-month-old son at his grave site.
"The first time I got any details was when I requested it from the state's investigation, and I received it in September – six months later," said Jason Degenhard, who has tirelessly poured over the documents, trying to understand how his son died without child care workers noticing.
At Sonny's funeral, Jason Degenhard delivered his son's eulogy and talked about how he and his wife had prayed for years to have a baby.
"Four years of our patience turned into four months of pure love. He was alive for exactly 142 days, and unofficially, I think he received 10,000 kisses," he said. "I can actually say that I helped bring him into this world, as I watched him be pulled from his mother's womb. And I held him as he left for heaven's gate."
The grieving father remembered special times with his son, including watching Jeopardy and cooking shows together and cuddling after bath time. During the eulogy, Jason Degenhard also read a letter that his wife had written for their son's funeral.
"I want my heart to memorize each one of these moments, things not captured by video or camera – his touch, his smell, the emotion that consumed our family whenever we looked at him," Rachel Degenhard wrote. "One of life's greatest blessings is children. I'm very grateful for the time God allowed us to have this most precious and divine gift from heaven. There are no words of comfort or length of time that can take away the pain of losing a child ... I look forward to the day that we can hold him again and hear his laughter and see his wonderful smile."
Sonny was a beautiful blessing during his short time on earth. He is preceded in death by his paternal grandfather, Jack Degenhard (Memorial# 101740434); maternal great-grandmother, Catalina Lara Cortez, uncle, Erik Degenhard and cousin, Taylor Degenhard. He is survived by his mother, Rachel Contreras Degenhard and father, Jason Robert Degenhard, both of the home; three sisters, Alexandria Degenhard, of Canton, OH, Julia Contreras and Carmen Contreras, both of the home; a brother, Michael Degenhard, of Canton, OH; maternal grandmother, Isabelle Levy and husband A.J. of Lexington Park, MD; maternal grandfather, Manuel Contreras of Claremont, CA; paternal grandmother, Judith Degenhard of Canton, OH; four uncles, Jarrod Degenhard of Louisville, OH, Derek Degenhard, Manuel Anthony Contreras and Angel Samuel Contreras.
Most of the information for this memorial is from the WRAL.com news story, reporter Kelcey Carlson and photographer Greg Clark)
http://www.wral.com/news/local/wral_investigates/video/12150774/
Inscription
Santino M Degenhard
Oct 25 2011 Mar 15 2012
Son of SFC Jason &
Sgt Rachel Degenhard
US ARMY
Our Beloved Sonny
Gravesite Details
Headstone is covered with toys, flowers and many kisses
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Records on Ancestry
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
