New England Patriots tight end Eli Raridon and his wife, Anna Raridon, announced the death of their newborn son, Peter James Raridon, who was born on September 11 with a fatal condition diagnosed before birth.
The couple shared the news in a joint Instagram post, saying they learned during their 20-week anatomy scan that their son had anencephaly, a condition in which a baby cannot survive outside the womb.
“When Eli and I went in for our 20-week anatomy scan, excited to see our sweet baby boy, our hearts were forever changed,” the couple wrote. “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,” they continued.
“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.”
In the post, the couple also reflected on their faith during the ordeal, writing that it is “easy to glorify the Lord when life is going well,” but that “it is in our deepest trials that we are drawn closest to Him.” They added that while they may never understand why this happened, they trust that “God promises to care for His children.”
The couple cited two Bible passages, 1 Peter 1:5-7 and James 1:2-4, the latter of which reads in part: “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.”
Raridon, who attended the University of Notre Dame, was selected by the Patriots in the third round of the 2026 NFL draft.
