Daughter’s memory inspires couple
Singing lullabies at her daughter’s bedside was a favourite pastime for Lotomau Matekohi.
It’s one of the few memories she and husband Reginald, 23, have of their daughter Angelina.
Born at just 23 weeks gestation, and weighing slightly more than a block of butter, the family had five months with Angelina before she died.
Motivated by her memory, the pair will soon begin their teaching degrees and start a trust to support families with premature babies. The Waikato couple were in Adelaide, Australia, visiting friends when Lotomau, 25, went into labour.
There was nothing doctors could do to stop the labour and she gave birth on April 20 last year.
Angelina is Reginald’s mother’s name, and her middle name – Adelaide – is where the couple first met while serving a mission for their church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints.
The Matekohis were given the option to hold their daughter in her last moments or attempt resuscitation – an option doctors told them may not work. They chose the latter, and once placed on a ventilator Angelina started breathing.
‘‘She developed a little personality,’’ Reginald Matekohi said. ‘‘And she was stubborn like her mum. She liked to get her back tickled, too.’’
Lotomau is an Australian resident so medical costs were covered.
However, as students and partway through a university semester, they didn’t have much saved.
Reginald’s mother set up a Givealittle page, raising more than $11,000 for the pair.
They’re thankful for all the support they received and the money allowed them to stay in accommodation next to the hospital. About $9000 of the money was used for accommodation.
When Angelina was born she developed a bleed in her brain, Reginald Matekohi said.
‘‘It stopped her from doing normal functions such as breathing and swallowing, and blinking. At certain times her brain would stop sending signals to breathe, so that’s when the ventilator would kick in.
‘‘And that was ultimately what stopped her from getting off the ventilator and going home.’’
In two weeks’ time, the Matekohis will start studying at the University of Waikato. Their daughter will be with them too. Her ashes sit in a silver urn etched with pink spirals and a teddy bear.
Reginald always wanted to be a primary school teacher, but Lotomau only decided to undertake a teaching degree once she fell pregnant with Angelina so she could follow her through her school years.
‘‘We did start the teaching degree because of her,’’ Reginald Matekohi said. ‘‘It would have been easy for us to stay and work and just make money but my wife wanted to come back because we did start the teaching degree because of her, so we are finishing it because of her.’’
Doctors weren’t able to give the couple an answer as to why Lotomau went into premature labour, and after doing their own research, they realised there needed to be more awareness around premature births and labour.
Ultimately, they would like to start a trust to support families with premature babies. They have also started vlogging to share their experiences.