Suzanne Mazzola, a special education teacher from Tamarac, Florida, was told during her pregnancy that giving birth to her son could cost her her life. She could have decided to have an abortion — after all, most people believe abortion is permissible in cases when the pregnancy threatens the mother’s life.
But Mazzola proved that there really is no greater love than laying down’s one life for someone else. The 34-year-old died last week after giving birth to her fourth child, a beautiful little boy named Owen.
During her pregnancy, Mazzola suffered from placenta accreta, a rare condition that causes the blood vessels in the placenta to attach too deeply to the uterine wall causing severe bleeding. She knew that carrying Owen to term could potentially endanger her life but she made the decision to risk her life to save his.
After delivering her healthy baby boy via Cesarean Section, Mazzola began hemorrhaging and a team of 15 doctors rushed her to emergency surgery. Despite their best efforts, they were unable to save her.
“She often mentioned how scared she was,” Mazzola’s coworker, Grace Duran, told the Sun-Sentinel newspaper. “We always told her to have faith and be positive. But we never thought this would be the outcome.”
“As with many of us, we never think the worst will happen and don’t plan well enough for something like this,” wrote Mazzola’s aunt, Janet Free, on the family’s You Caring page. “Suzanne’s four children and husband Joe need our support, as there isn’t any financial safety net. Please honor Suzanne by helping support her family in their time of need.”
Family friends are now raising funds to help the Mazzola family. Suzanna left behind her husband Joe, and their four children Matteo, 7, Ella, 5, Luca, 2, and Owen.
Suzanne was diagnosed with a condition called Placenta Percreta that occurs when the placenta penetrates through the entire uterine wall and attaches to another organ such as the bladder. The primary concern for Suzanne following child birth was hemorrhaging while a team of 15 doctors attempted to detach the placenta.
Suzanne was given the option to take the baby very early in the pregnancy, but being the wonderful strong woman and mother that she was and understanding the personal risk, she chose to wait until 35 weeks when the baby would be strong enough to survive.
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On February 2, 2015 our beautiful Suzanne passed away while in surgery but she gave birth to a beautiful, healthy baby boy – Owen Gabriel Mazzola, born weighing 6lbs 2oz. Owen, meaning little warrior; Gabriel, meaning god is my strength.
Suzanne’s love for children led her to become a special needs teacher for the Broward County Public School system. Her husband Joe helps run the family restaurant. Suzanne leaves behind her husband of 9 years, Joe Mazzola, and four children: Matteo (7), Ella (5), Luca (2) and newborn baby boy, Owen.
As with many of us, we never think the worst will happen and don’t plan well enough for something like this. Suzanne’s four children and husband Joe need our support, as there isn’t any financial safety net. Please honor Suzanne by helping support her family in their time of need.
