There's nothing that completely prepares a woman for motherhood -- especially those without a solid support system.
Patriots defensive end Lawrence Guy and his wife, Andrea, are doing their best to be that resource for moms in New England.
The Guy Family Foundation hosted its second annual baby shower at Gillette Stadium on Tuesday, inviting single mothers who are expecting or recently had a baby. For Andrea, it means a lot more than giving gifts to fellow moms.
"Motherhood is a big job. It's a big responsibility," Andrea said during the event. "I have my husband, my family, and I'm always surrounded by such a supportive tribe of women. It made me think of all the mothers that are going through labor by themselves, having their children alone with no support system. Single mothers are probably the most powerful women to me because they're bringing a life into this world by themselves. It means a lot. Having all these volunteers is so special. I hope these women see this beautiful shower, forget all their problems, and feel that they're secure with the items they have for their children."
Though it's an incredible gesture, the idea for the baby shower is also extremely personal to Andrea.
While experiencing labor difficulties for the couple's third child, Andrea briefly shared a Miami hospital room with a woman in a similar predicament. Separated by a curtain, Andrea overheard this woman plead with friends and family for help with her newborn intubated in the NICU.
No one showed up for this woman, so Andrea took it upon herself, working with the hospital's social worker to help out. The woman asked for nothing but diapers, but the Guy family wanted to ensure this perfect stranger was set up with everything she'd need for her son's first year of life.
"That broke my heart, because on top of not having anything, she wasn't asking for much," Andrea said, visibly emotional retelling the story. "She doesn't know who we are. I still send stuff. Her son and my daughter have the same birthday, so I always dedicate the shower to her. Maybe one day I'll tell her what she did for my life."
After this experience, Lawrence and Andrea knew they couldn't stop there. They held the first baby shower in 2021 and followed it up this year, inviting 36 women from organizations like Bridge Over Troubled Waters, La Colaborativa, Abby's House, Casa Myrna, and Sojourner House to be the guests of honor.
"I'm just grateful for being here," said Fyteema Major while holding her six-month-old, Zion.
"I'm a single mom of three. The event is completely beautiful. I'm glad I came because I wouldn't have ever known what I was missing."
The shower included games, food, and even a bounce house and ball pit for the children. Each mother was sent home with gifts like baby bottles, blankets, monitors, car seats, bassinets, and strollers.
"These are the items we use in our household," Lawrence said. "This is what I used for my children. We wanted to make sure they had the same opportunity that we had to bring our children into the world with these beautiful items."
Members of the Patriots Women's Association showed up to help the Guy family.
Shahrzad Slater, Raina Patricia, Amber Judge, Michelle McCourty, Ashley Davis, Jen Belichick, Parker Henry, Alyssa Cannon, Assia Davis, Camille Phillips, and Sophie Scott were all in attendance, and those with children answered questions and gave tips about motherhood to the group.
Beyond showering the women with gifts, they served as the perfect mommy support network.
"It's fulfilling and it makes me happy that we're able to give back," Andrea said.
"We're very blessed to be in the position that we are and I always think about how we can make somebody's life better since God has blessed us with so much. It's so fulfilling, and we bring our kids so they can see how important it is to give back to the community that gives so much to my husband. It just means a lot to be here."
Check out the photos from the shower below.
