Three Years Since Your Due Date
Three years ago today… we made it to your due date.The day everyone tells you to be excited for.The day marked on every app, every calendar, every countdown.The day that’s supposed to mean “any moment now.”
In Memory of Caislee Rylin Hitchens
Caislee Rylin Hitchens | Sunday, December 4th, 2022
On Sunday, December 4th, 2022, precious Caislee Rylin was born into this world sleeping. After a seemingly perfect pregnancy, we were given the unthinkable news — “there is no heartbeat” — as we checked into the hospital in full-blown labor.
In a matter of moments, our entire world was turned upside down. Just a few hours later, our beautiful daughter was brought earthside — silent, but leaving a mark louder than words.
Though her time here was painfully short, her life continues to make an impact. Her legacy is woven into our family, our mission, and every family we walk alongside.
Caislee Rylin Foundation - Hope for Every Step of the Journey.
Caislee's Box
In the tender moments of loss, no parent should leave the hospital with empty hands.
The Caislee Box is a thoughtfully curated memory box, created to honor your precious baby and wrap grieving families in love and support. Delivered directly to hospitals, each box is filled with beautiful keepsakes and comforting resources—carefully chosen to help parents navigate those first heartbreaking moments after loss.
More than a box, this is a tangible reminder that your baby’s life mattered. Inside, you'll find meaningful items to cherish, practical resources for the days ahead, and gentle encouragement to remind you that you are not alone.
Given in memory of Caislee Rylin, shared with love, and offered to help carry you through.
Rooted in Grace
Rooted in Grace is a community for grieving mothers and families, grounded in faith, remembrance, and hope.
This space was created to honor your precious baby and to remind you that even in the depths of loss, you are never alone. Together, we share stories, carry one another through the hard days, and celebrate the quiet, lasting impact of our babies’ lives.
We understand that every journey through grief is unique. That’s why our community and resources are designed to meet you exactly where you are—offering connection, healing, and encouragement tailored to your needs and season of life.
Just as roots grow unseen beneath the surface, your love, grief, and hope are held here safe, seen, and supported. Rooted in Grace is a place to connect, to heal, and to find gentle encouragement as you navigate life after loss.
NICU Support Kit
In the fragile and uncertain moments of a NICU stay, no parent should feel like they are walking this journey alone.
The NICU Support Program was created for families facing the fragile, emotional, and often overwhelming journey of the NICU—especially those navigating high-risk pregnancies or life after loss.
Through The NICU Kit, we offer thoughtfully chosen items to bring comfort, connection, and support during your baby’s NICU stay. Each kit is designed to meet families in those early, uncertain days with practical care and heartfelt encouragement.
The NICU can feel like a world of its own filled with hope, fear, and everything in between. Our desire is to remind families that they are not walking this road alone.
Join Caislee Rylin Foundation in Making a Difference
this is where her legacy lives on
The Caislee Rylin Foundation is committed to walking alongside families in some of the most difficult and unthinkable moments of life. Your support helps provide tangible resources, safe communities, and a reminder that no family has to walk this road alone.
Donate today and be part of carrying Caislee’s legacy forward.
Give Tangibly by Purchasing Items for the Caislee Box
If you prefer to give in a hands-on, meaningful way, you can now purchase specific items that go directly into a Caislee Box. Each item you buy becomes part of a family’s first moments after loss a small, sacred piece of comfort they can hold onto when everything feels shattered.
Our Wishlist includes the keepsakes, resources, and gentle touches that make each Caislee Box so special. By gifting these items, you’re helping us place a piece of love and hope directly into a grieving family’s hands.
Purchase from the Wishlist and be a part of caring for families in their most tender moments.
About Caislee Rylin Foundation
The Caislee Rylin Foundation is a nonprofit organization based in Southern California, created in honor of our precious daughter, Caislee Rylin, who was born into this world sleeping on December 4th, 2022.
Born from the depths of unimaginable loss, this foundation exists to remind grieving families that they are not alone. We understand the heartache, the isolation, and the ache of life after loss — because we’ve walked that road ourselves.
Through the Caislee Box, our NICU Support Program, and the Rooted in Grace Community, we are building safe, faith-centered spaces for families to grieve, heal, and find hope. Whether you’re navigating stillbirth, miscarriage, pregnancy after loss, a high-risk delivery, or the overwhelming journey of the NICU — there is a place for you here.
Our mission is simple: to carry Caislee’s legacy forward by offering tangible support, compassionate resources, and a gentle reminder that even in the hardest seasons, you are deeply seen, held, and never alone.
Our Mission
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At the Caislee Rylin Foundation, we are dedicated to walking alongside families navigating the unimaginable pain of stillbirth and infant loss. Through faith-rooted support, tangible resources, and compassionate community, we help families find hope, healing, and connection in the midst of grief.
Our Story
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The Caislee Rylin Foundation was created to honor the life of our daughter. What began as a way to bring comfort to grieving families has grown into a mission of hope, healing, and community for those walking the heartbreaking road of stillbirth, infant loss, and the fragile seasons that often follow.
Through faith-rooted support, gentle resources, and programs like Caislee’s Box, the NICU Support Program, and the Rooted in Grace Community, we are committed to walking alongside families — providing tangible care, compassionate connection, and the reminder that even in the darkest seasons, you are not alone.
Our Vision
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Our vision is to carry Caislee’s legacy forward by creating a foundation where grieving families feel supported, seen, and never alone. We envision a community where every parent facing stillbirth, infant loss, pregnancy after loss, or the challenges of the NICU can find compassionate care, tangible resources, and gentle hope for the days ahead.
We hope to build spaces that honor every baby’s life, strengthen families through their most tender seasons, and remind them that even in the deepest grief — healing, connection, and hope are still possible.
Our Community
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We believe no family should walk the road of loss alone. Through the Rooted in Grace Community, we offer ongoing spaces of support for every part of this journey — from the deep ache of grief to the gentle, fragile hope of life after.
Here, mothers and families can find encouragement, connection, and support that meets them exactly where they are. Whether you’re navigating the early days of loss, learning to carry grief while raising children, or stepping into a new season of healing, you don’t have to do it alone. Alongside our community, we provide faith-filled resources — from practical guidance to words of encouragement — designed to offer comfort and hope on the hardest days.
Whether you’re grieving, growing, or somewhere tenderly in between, there is a place and a resource here for you.
Let's Walk Together
Wherever you are on your journey, we’d be honored to connect with you. Whether you’re looking for support, have questions, or simply want to reach out — you’re not alone. Fill out the form below, and we’ll be in touch.
Meet the Founders
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Who Are We?
Jonathan and Destiney Hitchens, along with their five little ones — Chase, Colt, Chelsea, Caislee, and Cody — are the heart behind the Caislee Rylin Foundation.
In December 2022, their daughter Caislee Rylin was born into heaven — a loss no parent should ever have to face. What should have been a season of joy became a season of deep heartbreak as they navigated grief, unanswered questions, and life with their other young children.
In the midst of that pain, they discovered a hard but beautiful truth: grief and joy can coexist. Out of their love for Caislee and their desire to walk with other families, the Foundation was born.
Today, Jonathan and Destiney are passionate about offering hope, comfort, and tangible reminders that even in the deepest sorrow, love never leaves. Through keepsakes, resources, and community, they help families honor their babies, hold space for their grief, and find quiet moments of healing.
Give Hope This December
December is a bittersweet month for us — it’s the month we met our sweet Caislee, and also the month we had to say goodbye. It’s a reminder of both the joy she brought us and the heartbreak of her loss. As we reflect on her life and her legacy, we want to turn this month into one of hope and comfort for other families who are navigating the unimaginable journey of pregnancy and infant loss.
When December Holds Both Magic and Mourning
Today is December 1st, the beginning of a season the world calls magical. A month wrapped in twinkling lights, cozy nights, the smell of pine, and the anticipation of Christmas morning. Everywhere we look, the world is preparing for joy.
When the Quiet Settles In After the Holiday…
The cookouts are over.The fireworks have faded.The laughter, the noise, the busyness… all of it has quieted.
Slowing Down, Listening Up — Surrendering My Plans for Her Foundation
It’s hard to put into words what this foundation means to me. It’s more than a project, more than an organization—it’s a piece of my heart, and a reflection of the little girl who forever changed our lives.
Navigating Grief with Little Ones at Home: Embracing the Messy, Beautiful Journey
Grief doesn’t knock before it enters — it walks in and changes everything. When you’re walking through the loss of a child while raising others, that grief takes on new shapes, new sounds, and sometimes, silence.