Life of Tristan Hallock honored for Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month

The Press-Republican, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
·4 min read

Oct. 13—PLATTSBURGH — In honor of Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, Mountain Lake PBS is proud to announce the further expansion of the Hallock Giving Library, which received an outpouring of financial support following the creation of The Tristan Fund.

The Fund was created by Mountain Lake PBS along with Tristan's parents, Thom and Jackie Hallock, after their son passed away as an infant in February. The funds raised are used to purchase books to be given away, for free, to children throughout the region.

Additionally, books purchased by the Fund will be given to parents with children in pediatric palliative care and in the NICU at UVM Medical Center, so that they can read to their children, just like Thom and Jackie did during their time with Tristan.

Formerly known as the Giving Library, the Hallock Giving Library, is now set to expand its impact and offerings to children and families thanks to the generosity of the community who came together in support of the Tristan Fund. Gifts include a remarkable $10,000 gift from Champlain National Bank along with several large gifts from individuals and local businesses.

"Thom and I really were so overwhelmed by the support to the Tristan Fund," Jackie Hallock said.

"When we lost Tristan, a lot of folks wanted to make a donation and we didn't know what we wanted to do with that at the time.

"When Tristan was in the hospital, we read to him, my whole family, we all read to him and we just felt that felt right to us. So, getting books into the hands of children in the North Country was really important to us.

"We knew about this Giving Library at Mountain Lake PBS. So we thought, if you to make a gift in honor of Tristan passing, you can give to this Tristan Fund. Mountain Lake PBS, obviously Thom works there, they were more than willing to work with us on that. We thought we would raise a couple of hundred bucks."

The Tristan Fund has raised $36,000 and donations are still trickling in.

"Thom and I was blown away by what the community did for us because I think when a child dies you are sort of helpless in terms of how you respond to that," Jackie said.

"I think our friends and family were just so heartbroken for us, and I think this was just a simple way of showing how much people cared. It really took the most tragic sad thing in Thom's and my life and turn it into something really beautiful. We think in a small way, this is a legacy for our son whose life only lasted three days, but how the books he will be able to purchase for children will live on forever.

"Obviously it being Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, we thought it just tied really nicely into announcing that that's what this library is doing and that's who it's honoring."

Books purchased by the Fund have already been distributed at community events, including the 2023 Mayor's Cup and several children's events at Mountain Lake PBS. Additionally, several boxes of specialty books were donated to the NICU and pediatric palliative care at UVM Medical Center, based on the suggestions of the doctors and nurses serving those patients. Books were also donated to Plattsburgh-based Healing Grace in support of their infant loss efforts.

"Jackie and I are truly honored by how our family, friends, and the community rallied around The Tristan Fund after we lost our son in February. Knowing that his short life sparked a legacy that will get books into the hands of children who would have been Tristan's classmates and friends, means so much to us," Thom Hallock said.

"We hope, in a small way, these books spark a love of reading at a time in children's lives when reading skills are crucial to their education, setting them up for success."

"It has been a privilege to partner with Thom and Jackie in the creation of The Tristan Fund. We feel deeply honored that Mountain Lake PBS can play a role in such a meaningful initiative that will have a lasting impact on our community," said Bill McColgan, CEO of Mountain Lake PBS.

Email: rcaudell@pressrepublican.com

Twitter@RobinCaudell