10/17/2026
I received an email today from a newly bereaved father that shares a song he wrote. Through his grief he is reaching out and sharing to help all our families who understand, because we live a similar experience. I am always amazed at the many ways parents continue to honor their babies, and am grateful they share their efforts of love with us.
From: Ben Johnson
Date: Fri, Oct 16, 2026 at 1:09 PM
Subject: “21 Weeks” — a bereaved father’s story for 1st Breath
To:
Hi Pat,
My name is Ben Johnson. I’m a country singer-songwriter and a bereaved father, and I wanted to share my new single, “21 Weeks,” because of the work 1st Breath does around stillbirth, pregnancy loss, and supporting families after loss.
My wife and I went into an ultrasound expecting to learn whether our baby was a boy or a girl, and instead learned that we had lost our child.
I eventually wrote “21 Weeks” about grieving not only our baby, but the entire lifetime we had already begun imagining.
Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/album/3CVlqql1UnlnVvHhuo25Hw
All platforms:
https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/benjohnson1/21-weeks
If you feel the song or the father’s perspective behind it could be useful to families in your community, as a remembrance resource, or in any of your awareness work, I’d be honored for you to consider it.
Thank you for the work you do for bereaved families.
Warmly,
Ben Johnson
[email protected]
www.benjohnsoncountry.com
Read Ben’s story here:
https://v8k6.engage.squarespace-mail.com/r?m=6ad2b00014136a5023df26c0&u=https%3A%2F%2Frtzhope.org%2Fstories-of-hope%2F21-weeks%3Fss_source%3Dsscampaigns%26ss_campaign_id%3D6ad29e51e4f1eb112066ec05%26ss_email_id%3D6ad2b00014136a5023df26c0%26ss_campaign_name%3DRTZ%2BMonthly%253A%2BOctober%2BRemembrance%252C%2BUpdates%252C%2Band%2BResources%26ss_campaign_sent_date%3D2026-10-16T23%253A15%253A14Z&w=54109725e4b0419281dc5792&c=b_6ad29e51e4f1eb112066ec05&l=en-US&s=v7n_n6Iat2JvkMPkdVTEFs7ZrcM%3D
Country artist Ben Johnson shares his experience of pregnancy loss, the often-unseen grief of fathers, and the story behind his song “21 Weeks.”
