It’s almost unbearable for any parent to imagine. Just a few short months ago, Chris Picco was a husband celebrating his seventh wedding anniversary and the impending birth of his first child. Today, he is a widower grieving the loss of both the woman he’d loved for so long and the child he only had the opportunity to know for a few short days.
“Blackbird Singing In The Dead Of Night”
His wife’s name was Ashley. His son was Lennon James Picco, named in honor of John Lennon, legendary singer-songwriter who founded?the Beatles. Chris is a musician and a Beatles fan, but Ashley loved music as much as he and they had agreed upon the name together.
Born three months early and suffering from a lack of oxygen before his emergency C-section, Lennon only survived his mother by four days. But those were four days in which he was loved, cherished, and cared for by his father constantly and completely.
On their last day together, Chris chose to bring his guitar to the hospital to play and sing for his newborn son who still struggled mightily for life. Chris played many songs, but a family friend captured one on camera, “Blackbird” by the Beatles. When asked why he chose to play, Chris replied:
“Ashley would often feel Lennon moving to music, so I brought my guitar today and gave him a little concert.? KTLA 5
“Take These Broken Wings And Learn To Fly”
In the end, Lennon was removed from the incubator and handed to his father so that he might spend his final moments in the embrace of someone who loved him completely. Chris has stated through a spokesman that he eventually wants to tell his story, but needs time to grieve alone first.?He shared the video on his Facebook page in the hopes that it might help others going through a similar situation.
A memorial will be held Saturday for Ashley and Lennon at the Picco’s church. If you’d like to donate, a fund to cover the family’s expenses has been set up here.
Let us know your thoughts at the Liberal America Facebook page. Sign up for our free daily newsletter to receive more great stories like this one.
