Gavin’s Gift of Grace Supports Grieving Families
photos courtesy Gavin’s gift of Grace
In 2018, Amy and Adam Gouldie lost their five-month-old son, Gavin Grant, to sudden infant death syndrome. It was an earth-shattering loss they couldn’t have overcome, Amy says, if not for the family and friends who carried them through those early weeks. The Leander couple asked themselves, “What if we didn’t have all this support? We would be completely lost.
We decided that day to do what we could to help other families have the kind of support we had.
The following year, Amy and Adam founded Gavin’s Gift of Grace (GGG) to support families who have lost a child from birth to 18 years old. The organization assists with financial needs like funeral arrangements, therapy, rent, groceries, car payments, car packages, and peer-to-peer support. “Death is expensive, and grief is expensive too,” Amy says. “Most families aren’t prepared for something like this. Many parents can’t return to work right away, and bills start piling up. We just try to figure out what the family needs most and help meet that need.”
Gavin’s Gift of Grace receives requests for support both from families themselves as well as many organizations including Dell Children’s Hospice, the Austin Police Department, the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office, and area funeral homes. “You don’t realize how often it happens until it touches your life,” Amy says. “In the Austin area alone, it’s far more common than most people know.”
TURNING GRIEF INTO PURPOSE
For Amy, some of the most healing moments come from speaking directly with families. “Sometimes they just need to talk to someone who’s been there,” she says. “It’s healing for both sides.”
Over the years, she’s watched many grieving parents channel their pain into purpose—just as she and Adam did. One mother whose daughter drowned at a camp started a nonprofit that distributes life vests and offers CPR training across Texas. Another, a local art teacher, began a scholarship fund in her son’s name after a tragic car accident. “Those are my favorite stories,” Amy says. “It’s about keeping their memory alive. One of the biggest fears is that people will forget them—but they’re not forgotten. More people know Gavin now than if he were still here.”
HONORING GAVIN’S LEGACY
To honor Gavin’s legacy, GGG hosts several community fundraisers each year, including Amplify Austin in March, a spring golf tournament, and the annual Gearing for Gavin Car Show—a family friendly event featuring classic cars, food, snow cones, raffles, and activities for kids.
November 15 from 10am to 1pm • Cart Castle • 111 CR 214, Liberty Hill
“We’re 100 percent volunteer-run, so every dollar donated goes directly to families,” Amy says.
For Amy and Adam, Gavin’s memory is what keeps them moving forward. “He was the happiest, smiliest baby,” she says. “I know he’s watching over us. I like to think he’s pretty proud of us.”
To learn more, donate, or register for upcoming events, email info@gavinsgiftofgrace.org, scan the code to visit GavinsGiftOfGrace.org or follow Gavin’s Gift of Grace on Facebook and Instagram.