A North Carolina military widow who learned she was pregnant just weeks after her husband died found a touching way to honor him with her gender reveal.
Navy Hospital Corpsman 1st class Ryan Lohrey died a month after marrying Cassie Lohrey, 34, without ever knowing that she was expecting their first child.
Now in her second trimester, Cassie decided to host a gender reveal party on Veteran’s Day in his honor, enlisting 16 other service members to help her make her big announcement.
Special day: Cassie Lohrey enlisted service members to help her with her gender reveal announcement
Love: The 34-year-old married Navy Hospital Corpsman 1st class Ryan Lohrey in June
Horrible loss: In July, he died in a military plane crash in Mississippi
Trying time: Three weeks after his shocking death, Cassie learned she was pregnant with their first child
Cassie and Ryan met three years ago when Ryan was in training. In June of this year, they tied the knot — but just a month later, on July 10, Ryan was in a fatal military plain crash in Mississippi. He was just 30 years old.
‘[I was] in shock,’ Cassie told People. ‘We were just getting our life started together. We wanted a family. We had so many plans and they were just left unfinished.’
Three weeks after his death, and only one week after his funeral, Cassie found out she was pregnant with their first child.
‘I knew Ryan wouldn’t leave me alone. He wanted me to have a piece of him forever,’ she told CNN. She added to People: ‘I’m very excited and happy to have a piece of him left with me for the rest of my life.’
Though her unborn baby will never get a chance to meet its father, Cassie wanted Ryan to be part of the pregnancy — and decided on a way to honor him with her gender reveal.
Big reveal: She wanted to pay tribute to him with her gender reveal and had 16 other service members come help
It’s a girl! They all set off poppers to announce that she is having a girl, whom she plans to name Ryan Jo
Heartwarming: The number 16 is significant, as that is how many people died in Ryan’s crash
Meaning: She made the big announcement on November 11, Veteran’s Day
She chose November 11, Veteran’s Day, for the occasion, and called upon other service members to help out.
‘I wanted to honor her daddy on this special day,’ she told CNN. ‘Veterans Day is a big deal for us every year, but this year it’s extra special.’
She asked service members whom Ryan was friends with to come be a part of the reveal for her friends and family. Sixteen agreed to help — a number of particular significance, as 16 people died in Ryan’s crash.
‘I contacted one of them and they did it with no hesitation and no questions asked. They said, “I’ll take care of it. We’ll get everybody here you need. Anything you want, we’ll do,”‘ she told People. ‘They’ve been very supportive from the beginning. And ever since the accident they’ve been here for us.’
On the day of the shoot, family friend Saralyn Johnson was on hand to take photos while a crowd watched on.
Together forever: ‘I knew Ryan wouldn’t leave me alone. He wanted me to have a piece of him forever,’ Cassie said
Not as planned… The couple had been together for three years and wanted to start a family immediately
Heartbreaking: Ryan died without knowing that Cassie was pregnant
Touching: Cassie said there was a lot of hugging and crying when she made her announcement
With the camera rolling, Cassie stood at the center of the men, who were all in uniform and held a flag behind her.
One announced, ‘Cassie Lohrey: We do hereby appoint you impregnated by Ryan Lohrey and congratulate you on your soon-to-be new baby.’
At that moment, the men all let the poppers in their hands loose, sending pink confetti into the air and revealing that Cassie is going to have a girl. Cheers from friends and family could be heard, and Cassie said there was a lot of crying and hugging.
‘It was a joyous occasion. Me emotions were all over the place,’ she said. ‘I was happy, excited and sad because [Ryan] wasn’t there. But more happy than sad because I got a piece of him. A silver lining in this tragic situation.’
She said she plans to name her daughter, who is due in March, Ryan Jo.
There is also a GoFundMe page that was set up to help Cassie and her unborn baby, as Ryan’s paperwork had not yet been updated when he died and she hasn’t received any benefits.