Sarah Herron and her fiance Dylan Brown have shared the tragic news of their newborn son’s passing just hours after his birth.
Their son, Oliver Brown, was born on January 28 at just 24 weeks gestation.
Sarah, who previously appeared on Sean Lowe’s season of The Bachelor and the premiere season of Bachelor in Paradise, shared an Instagram post on Wednesday, February 1, to update her followers.
“On January 28th, at 24 weeks old, our beautiful son Oliver Brown was born. He passed away in his dad’s arms shortly after,” Sarah revealed.
“There are no words for the magnitude of loss and pain we’re experiencing,” she continued. “It’s beautiful and simultaneously tragic. He had my nose and his dad’s mouth and long fingers.”
The 36-year-old explained how the “higher powers still had other plans” for their son, despite Oliver defying the odds and fighting through difficulties to make it as far as he did.
The Bachelor’s Sarah Herron and Dylan Brown mourn loss of newborn son
Sarah said that while she and Dylan are “shattered beyond comprehension,” they are still “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.”
“Our time together was short, but we are grateful for the days we had with Oliver in my belly,” she said. “His body was small, but his legacy will always be larger than life to us.”
Sarah’s post included a photo of her, Dylan, and baby Oliver after he was born, along with a few shots of Sarah while pregnant and a heartbreaking moment of Dylan kissing her forehead in the hospital.
Sarah Herron on her IVF journey
Sarah first announced that she was pregnant with Oliver in September of 2022, explaining how their embryo transfer had been a success.
She detailed the “surreal” feeling of seeing her baby’s heartbeat for the first time, explaining how the fertility struggles she endured made the moment even more special for her and Dylan.
She has been open with her followers about her IVF journey over the past few years, constantly sharing updates about the struggles she had been facing at that particular point in time.
Because of how open she had been with her following, Sarah didn’t feel the need to wait a certain amount of time before telling her fans that the fertility treatments had worked.
“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,” the former contestant told Us Weekly after her announcement at just seven weeks. “One of the blessings of IVF is the support I have gained by being transparent about this process.”
Furthermore, during her pregnancy, Sarah kept her fans updated with baby bump photos and frequent mental health check-ins.
While the loss has been devastating for Sarah and Dylan, there has been nothing but love and support for the two as they navigate this difficult time.
The Bachelor airs on Mondays at 8/7c on ABC.