CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Joanny Rodriguez opened up to WCNC's Jane Monreal, about a car crash that happened just days after Christmas. She said if sharing her story can help another parent, it would help her own healing.
"We're also not the only people who've gone through this," said Rodriguez
The first-time mom-to-be had recently posted a picture of herself at 32 weeks pregnant saying that this time next year, she and her fiance, Robert Bolick, will be celebrating Christmas with their son, Mateo.
Due Feb. 9, she couldn't imagine that two weeks later, those plans would come to an end.
The night of Dec. 28th, they were heading home after visiting family in Fort Mill and crashed on I-77 near Mile Marker 90.
"I just felt a smack into something," Rodriguez remembered. "Come to find out, there was a car parked in the middle lane of I-77. And it was a dark green car. And we didn't notice it until was literally too late. And it had no hazard lights on, nothing."
Emergency responders rushed the couple to the hospital.
"I had my hands on my belly," said Rodriguez. "I just knew like something was not right.
Her hip was broken, in addition to other injuries to her pelvis and hand, but she said nothing compared to the pain and shock when she was told doctors couldn't find a heartbeat.
She remembered asking the medical staff, "You can help him? And they were like: No, we can't. They're like, there's nothing we can do. We're so sorry."
She said the couple is getting through day by day.
"I'm trying to believe that there's that purpose," Bolick said. "God has a purpose for you."
"I'm his mom, and he's his dad, and he was our son. And he may not be here earthside anymore, but he's here with us," said Rodriguez. "And I just wanted to share because at the end of the day, like, I still have joy in the fact that I got to carry him for eight months."
A private funeral is set for Monday.
Rodriguez was discharged after 10 days in the hospital and three major surgeries.
A Go Fund Me page was set up to help pay for medical expenses.