New England Patriots tight end Eli Raridon and his wife, Anna Raridon, shared an update regarding the birth and death of their newborn son, stating that while they were “absolutely devastated” that their son couldn’t come home with them, they were “grateful to have loved him deeply” for the past nine months.
In a joint Instagram post, the couple explained that at their “20-week anatomy scan” they discovered that their son, Peter James Raridon, “was diagnosed with anencephaly.” The couple also acknowledged that it is “easy to glorify the Lord when life is going well,” while adding that “it is in our deepest trials that we are drawn closest” to God.
“Our angel, Peter James Raridon, was born on September 11th,” the couple said in the post. “When Eli and I went in for our 20-week anatomy scan, excited to see our sweet baby boy, our hearts were forever changed. Our little one was diagnosed with anencephaly, a fatal condition in which he would not survive outside the womb.”
“While we are absolutely devastated that we were unable to bring our baby boy home, I am grateful to have loved him deeply, kept him safe, and been his home for the past 9 months before he was called back to Heaven,” the couple continued in the post.
The post continued in part:
I have often found it easy to glorify the Lord when life is going well, but it is in our deepest trials that we are drawn closest to Him. We may never understand the why behind this journey, but one thing we know with certainty is that God promises to care for His children.
I believe our little boy was lovingly knitted together in the womb by God, knowing how deeply he would be loved by our families, our friends, Eli, and me. Though his time with us was brief, his life still precious, his purpose still meaningful, and he will forever be a part of our story.
The couple went on to share two Bible verses, 1 Peter 1:5-7 and James 1:2-4.
James 1:2-4 states: “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
Before the New England Patriots selected Raridon “in the third round of the 2026 draft,” he attended the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, NBC News reported.