The Birth of Axel - a Story of Love and Strength after a Snowboarding Accident

Sarah and Tyler are beautiful people. When I first met them (the night before Axel was born), I was struck by the kindness and warmth in both of their faces. They carried the maturity of those that had traveled a hard road…and had learned to truly appreciate the good. They were so excited to meet their son. The anticipation in the room was palpable. In so many ways, it was miraculous that they were in this labor and delivery room at all…and I think they carried both gratefulness and awe with them.

Tyler had been in a snowboarding accident in 2019. A serious one. An accident that changed their lives in an instant…and required an indomitable strength from both Sarah and Tyler. A broken neck meant that Tyler was suddenly a quadriplegic. But the story didn’t end there. He worked for weeks and weeks, months and months to regain strength and function. His journey is truly an incredible one (and you can follow @tyler_funk to learn more). And in the midst of this life-altering story…another one also began. Sarah soon found out she was pregnant with their baby - little Axel.

I don’t think either of them ever imagined parenthood starting out this way, and yet here they were….ready, excited, strong, and grateful. Giving birth in a pandemic is no small feat….and then add in giving birth after a life-changing accident…Sarah and Tyler are INCREDIBLE people.

I’m honored to share some of their story and images from their birth. I hope they inspire you, like they inspire me.