From the Editor: Lindsey and Tom, our hearts are with you - East Idaho News
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From the Editor: Lindsey and Tom, our hearts are with you

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When EastIdahoNews.com was just a few months old, an aggressive journalist from Brigham Young University-Idaho applied for an internship.

Lindsey Johnson was her name and we were immediately impressed with her writing and reporting abilities. She became more than an intern to our small staff but rather felt like a member of the family.

After her internship ended, Lindsey kept in touch and ended up taking a job with our partners at KSL.com. Her fiancee, Tom Snider, would bring her back to eastern Idaho, where she worked as a reporter at the Post Register. After their marriage, the newlyweds moved to Las Vegas.

Earlier this year, the Sniders were excited to announce that Lindsey was expecting a child and they learned a few weeks ago that it was a little girl. They already had her name picked out: Stella Marie.

“Everything is looking normal and healthy with baby girl! #20weeks,” Lindsey happily posted on Facebook April 4.

But on Sunday, things took a tragic turn. Lindsey was admitted to the hospital after having contractions and little Stella was born at 11:30 a.m. via emergency c-section. The 23-week-old weighed around 1.32 pounds and measured 12 inches long.

She was kept alive in the NICU for two days and passed away Tuesday, April 24 at 8:19 a.m. The NICU team referred to her as the “warrior princess” as she was not expected to survive as long as she did and kept surprising everyone with her resilience and strength.

snider couple
Tom and Lindsey Snider hold baby Stella. | Courtesy Bella Baby Photography

Lindsey has been brave, open and honest about the heartbreak she and Tom are experiencing. A GoFundMe account has been established to help the young couple pay for medical and funeral expenses.

“We have been overwhelmed by the generosity of our friends and even strangers as we’ve dealt with the recent loss of Stella,” Lindsey says. “Our families cannot thank you enough for doing everything you can to help us heal during this painful time.”

Stella will be buried in Ontario, California near some of her Snider ancestors and, in a Facebook post, Lindsey expressed the thought that she and Tom will see their baby again:

“Perhaps they are not stars, but rather openings in heaven where the love of our lost ones pours through and shines down upon us to let us know they are happy.”
⭐️
Whenever we look at the stars, we will be looking at our precious Stella Marie. She’s our little star, angel and miracle and has changed our lives forever. We are so honored she chose us to be her parents and so grateful for the honor we have had of giving her a body and bringing her to earth. We can’t wait for the sweet reunion we will have someday with our little girl.

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