🎧 The Hopecast with Rachael Flick
Episode 143 – “Losing Baby Collin: A Father Shares How His Son's Short Life Changed Him Forever”
Guest: Chad Otruba
đź“… October 21, 2024
🎙️ Overview
In this heart-wrenching and deeply vulnerable episode, Chad Otruba shares the story of his newborn son Collin, who was born with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, a rare, congential condition. As a father and active-duty service member, Chad walks us through the unimaginable pain of watching his child be rushed to Phoenix Children’s Hospital, the helplessness of not being able to fix what was broken, and the moment he knew his son’s life would be far too short.
“And in that moment, I’d never seen a group of people more puzzled and confused in my whole life. They knew immediately—he was a very complex case… and we needed help.”
What follows is a raw and moving conversation about grief, anger, faith, and the fight to hold onto hope when everything seems lost. Chad speaks honestly about the questions he wrestled with, including why God would allow this kind of suffering and what it means to still trust God in the darkest valley.
“It wasn’t just losing my son—it was losing the future I imagined, and feeling like God didn’t show up when I needed Him most.”
🔎 Key Takeaways:
- Facing anger toward God: Chad candidly shares how he wrestled with rage, doubt, and sorrow—and how that struggle became part of his healing process.
- How grief changes your identity: The loss of his son forced Chad to reexamine who he was as a father, a man, and a believer.
- Clinging to faith through pain: Even in his deepest moments of doubt, Chad found flickers of hope and comfort in God’s presence and the prayers of others.
- The power of presence and community: Chad talks about what it meant to have people simply show up—and how powerful compassion without answers can be.
- Letting Collin’s life leave a legacy: Though short, Collin’s life profoundly impacted Chad’s heart and reshaped how he views love, parenting, and eternity.
www.rachaelflick.com
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