JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Resting inside Wolfsons Children's Hospital next to his father is newborn Matthew Jr. As he was coming into the world, his mother, Lauren Accurso, was leaving unexpectedly during childbirth.
As her husband, daughters and church family grieve, they pray baby Matthew survives.
The family's pastor, Matt McCloghry, recalled the moment he learned something went wrong during Accurso's fourth childbirth.
"(It was) very sudden, really, just through text message and a phone: Something is happening, and we need to pray," McCloghry said. "It was really shortly thereafter a group of us went down to the hospital, and we heard the news."
McCloghry has pastored the Accurso family since he opened his church three years ago.
As Matthew Jr. and his father continue to bond in the neonatal intensive care unit, their pastor and their church are praying endlessly.
It's unclear what led to Accurso's death, but it was described as an unpreventable and rare medical condition.
Though Matthew Jr. will not grow up with his mother, there are many memories that others, like his father, sisters and McCloghry, can share about Accurso, who was a wife, mother, friend and believer -- a woman who had a bright smile and a caring heart.
"Her personality was just lovely," McCloghry said. "She was so bubbly. She was an incredible wife and incredible mom but she was a strong believer."
McCloghry believes Accurso, the kind mother of four, is resting peacefully in heaven.
A donation account was created to support the Accurso family. As of Friday evening, $125,000 had been raised.