influencer Paige Carlene is sending a message to social media users asking her to donate her baby items after her son’s death.
“I need to speak from my heart for a moment. Since losing our son Austin, I have received countless messages asking for the extra pillow and Twin Z pillow we have, along with ‘anything else we can get from him,'” Carlene wrote via Instagram on Wednesday, January 28. “Messages that said, ‘Since you can’t use it anymore, could I have it?’ Or, “My baby really needs it.” Or even, “You don’t need that reminder in your house, let me take it off your hands.”
She continued: “It’s been two months since my son died. And while that may seem like time to others, to us it feels like no time at all. It still seems like yesterday he was here. I still wake up every day missing him. I still go to sleep every night in pain for him. Pain doesn’t move on a schedule, and love doesn’t fade with time.”
Carlene, what has over 52,000 Instagram followers, he continued his statement by noting that “these elements are not just things.”
“That dock is where my baby was supposed to sleep. Where he was supposed to stretch his arms, make little noises in his sleep, wake up crying, calm down, be held. That pillow is where our twins were supposed to be together, side by side, sharing bottles, naps, laughter and life,” she wrote.
“These weren’t just ‘extra’ items. They were for him. They were meant for our boys,” he continued. “And that future was taken from us. Letting go of those things is like letting go of another piece of Austin. And I’m not ready for that. I’m not quite ready. I don’t know when I will be and I don’t know if I really will be.”
Carlene shared that the items are “not reminders that we’re trying to get rid of,” but “reminders of how deeply she is loved.”
“Austin may not be here physically anymore, but he is still our son,” she wrote. “She still belongs in our home. Her presence is still felt here. And her things still have meaning, memories and dreams that were never fulfilled.”
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She continued, “I know many people mean no harm when they ask. I truly believe most intentions are good. But asking a grieving parent to give away something that belonged to their child, especially so early, is deeper than you might realize. Sharing your need or your story doesn’t prepare us any more. It just reminds us of what we’ve lost.”
Carlene noted that they will “decide what happens with the Austin stuff” going forward, “if that day ever comes.”
“And when that time comes, it will all be done with love, intention and respect, given to someone who understands the weight of where it comes from,” he wrote. “But that day is not today. Please give us grace. Please give us time. Please understand that our pain is still fresh, our love is still overwhelming, and our hearts are still healing. Austin is still very much loved. And right now, holding onto his things is one of the ways we hold onto him.”
She captioned her upload: “Thank you for making space for us as we continue to grieve.🤍🪽.”
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Almost two months before your post, Carlene announced that his son had died.
“Our hearts are broken as we share that our sweet baby Austin Carlyle Edwards (Baby A) was not with us for long, but will be loved for life,” she wrote via Instagram on December 2025. “God called our sweet baby home on November 27th. God allowed us to have 31 precious and amazing days with our handsome boy.”
While sharing the message, Carlene uploaded a black and white photo of Austin wrapped in a blanket with a hat on his head. In another image, Carlene cradled her son, while in a separate photo, the influencer smiles with her husband Garris and their two children, daughters Nichole Grace, 5, and Layla Lashay, 2, by Austin’s side at the hospital. (The couple also welcomed a son, twins Austin, in October 2025.)
“He fought hard until his last breathHe is the strongest, bravest person I have ever met. He is all that was right in this world. We may not understand why this has happened, but God knew his story all along, his perfect story,” she wrote. “We have peace knowing that he is no longer in pain or suffering, but watches over us, comforts us, smiles, dances and gives all his strength to his brother with our grandparents and uncles. I can only imagine the reunion they all had with Austin, the love they gave him when he got there. 🤍🥹.”
She continued: “Part of Garris and I live here, the other part of us lives in heaven with you Bub.🤍 We are so thankful, grateful and HONORED that God chose us to be your mommy and daddy. Nichole, Layla, Bubba, Daddy and Mammy love you more than you could ever know. promise.🤍🪽.”