PROVIDENCE – Janay Wilcox’s Christmastime pregnancy was a much-needed blessing.
The anticipation helped her and her partner stay on course as they struggled with a collection of severe difficulties in their personal lives.
They had come to believe that their unborn child was saving them.
The boy took his first breath two days after Christmas 2017 at Women & Infants Hospital. They named him Savior.
“We chose that name because that’s what he’s been for us,” says the child’s 35-year-old mother. “He’s been our savior in life.”
Almost five years later, Wilcox and her partner, Savior’s father, Daniel Perez, are engaged to be married.
They are raising the boy in a home in the Charles neighborhood, near the North Providence line. Savior has six siblings, they say.
Life remains challenging: The parents don’t delve into the details, but they’re humble enough to receive assistance from people who can help.
This is why Savior and his parents were among dozens of families at the Providence Children’s Museum for a special holiday event on Tuesday.
The weeknight setting was no accident: Tuesday is frequently a day off for the New England Patriots.
While Savior played with oversized blocks, the Pats’ No. 85, Hunter Henry, took off his coat in a nearby reception room.
The tables around the towering professional athlete teemed with presents. Henry and his wife, Parker, waited to meet each of the children. including Savior.
More families facing major crises
The holiday gift-giving event was hosted by an organization that has seen some alarming trends as it has tried to help local children in recent years.
Communities for People provides support to youth in foster care. It also helps families like Savior’s – mothers and fathers and children who would benefit from some help.
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