Losing a child is a heartbreak so profound that words rarely do it justice. For Paige Hipp and her husband, Clint, that pain arrived suddenly and without warning. Their son, Sky Charles Hipp, passed away from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) on March 17, 2009—only three months after entering the world. One moment, their lives were full of routine and hope; the next, everything they knew was shattered. Yet in the midst of devastating loss, Paige and Clint discovered a faith, a purpose, and a resilience that shaped their lives in ways they never expected.

A Beginning Built on Love

Paige’s story begins years earlier, before tragedy touched their family. She and Clint met in 2005 and quickly realized they were meant to build a life together. By 2007, they were married. They were young, excited, and full of plans—a five-year roadmap of adventure, travel, and new beginnings.

Life, however, doesn’t always honor our timelines. Just months after moving to Texas in 2008 for a fresh chapter, Paige learned she was pregnant. The news came earlier than the couple expected, and at first, she felt overwhelmed. But when she told Clint, everything changed. His face lit up, and he said with wide-eyed joy, “I’m gonna be a dad?!”

That moment rewrote their plans, and they embraced it wholeheartedly.

Welcoming Baby Sky

In the early morning hours of November 24, 2008, their son, Sky Charles Hipp, came into the world. He was 7 pounds, 18.5 inches long, and perfect in every way. Paige remembers the overwhelming love that washed over them as they held their baby boy. Their small family felt complete. Their home felt brighter.

But just four months later, the unimaginable happened.

The Day Everything Changed

On March 17, 2009, Paige went to check on Sky. In seconds, everything shifted. Sky wasn’t breathing. He was unresponsive. What followed became a blur of panic, screaming, and disbelief. Sky was rushed to the hospital, but nothing could be done. Their son was gone.

“That day, life as we knew it was over,” Paige later wrote. The memory of calling Clint remains fractured in her mind. All she truly remembers is the sound of her own scream—a sound Clint will never forget.

The grief that followed was raw, crushing, and disorienting. Paige found herself walking through days that felt dreamlike, unreal. Hospital rooms, funeral arrangements, the weight of silence—everything was heavy, surreal, impossible.

A Sign in the Midst of Darkness

In one of her lowest moments, Paige experienced something she can only describe as divine. She and Clint walked to their hotel room, and the number on the door was 316—a quiet but unmistakable reminder of John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son.”

To Paige, this was no coincidence. It felt like God whispering into the storm of her grief, reminding her of His presence. That small connection to Scripture gave her a thread of hope just when the darkness felt overwhelming.

Held by Family, Strengthened by Love

Paige’s father arrived soon after, and when he reached her at the hotel, they collapsed into each other’s arms, both in tears. The love and support of their family became a lifeline during their darkest hours.

But the heaviest burden Paige carried was the guilt every grieving mother knows too well. She felt she had failed to protect Sky. She questioned every decision, every moment, every small detail. No words could soften the ache.

Through it all, Clint became her anchor. “He held me. He wiped my tears. He physically carried me when I was so overcome with grief that I couldn’t walk,” Paige said. “He was my glue. He is my rock.”

Together, they navigated the storm—fractured, hurting, but united.

Finding Purpose Through Pain

In the years after losing Sky, Paige and Clint refused to let their grief end with silence. They wanted to honor their son and protect other families from facing similar heartbreak. So they turned their pain into purpose.

They began hosting events and fundraisers in Sky’s memory. Over time, they raised more than $100,000 for the American SIDS Institute. Their mission gave them direction. Their work gave Sky’s life lasting meaning.

Through grief, they discovered a calling.

A New Chapter of Hope: Their Rainbow Baby

Just before what would have been Sky’s first birthday, Paige learned she was pregnant again. The news was a mixture of fear and hope, sorrow and joy. But when their daughter, Lura Lakyn Hipp, was born on July 19, 2010, Paige felt something shift inside her.

“It was like God and Sky had sent this blessing back into our lives,” she wrote. “They brought light to our darkness and joy to our sadness.”

Lura became their rainbow baby—the beauty after the storm, the reminder that new life can grow alongside grief.

In 2016, their family grew once again with the birth of their daughter, Willow Marie Hipp. Though the wound of losing Sky never fully healed, their daughters filled their home with laughter, purpose, and love.

How Loss Changed Their Faith and Their Future

Paige often reflects on how Sky’s life—and his loss—transformed her. “Losing Sky could have been my limit,” she said. “But God said no. God said, ‘You have more to do.’”

She found strength in faith she never knew she had. She learned to live with grief instead of trying to outrun it. She learned that love, even when expressed through pain, can be a powerful force for healing.

Through every fundraiser, every story shared, every family helped, Sky’s legacy grows.

A Love That Never Fades

Paige and Clint know their journey is far from over. They continue their advocacy for SIDS awareness. They continue to share their story with families who feel alone. And they continue to speak Sky’s name.

“As long as we live, Sky will live,” Paige wrote. “We hold tightly to all our memories of him, but Heaven holds so many of our dreams—including their big brother.”

The ache of grief remains, but so does the love. So does the purpose. So does the faith.

A Message for Anyone Walking Through Loss

Through years of mourning, healing, questioning, and rebuilding, Paige has come to understand one powerful truth: love is enough. God’s love, the love she carries for Sky, and the love her family shares—it all became the foundation that carried them through the darkest season of their lives.

For anyone facing heartbreak, suffering, or deep sorrow, Paige offers words born from experience:
“Find the faith to look past whatever tragedy or dark time you are walking through right now. The SKY is not the limit for you.”

Her son’s life, though brief, left an imprint that continues to shine—a reminder that hope can rise from devastation, faith can grow from pain, and love can outlast even the deepest loss.