The Angel’s Gala

Kila and Cesar Gonzales learned, at 16 weeks pregnant, that their daughter Eva Katherine had a fatal birth defect called Limb-Body Wall Complex (LBWC). LBWC is rare and affects approximately 1 in 15,000 pregnancies. It hinders the movement and growth of a baby. On March 4th, 2019, at 33 weeks, Kila had an emergency C-section and gave birth to their second child, Eva. Shortly after her birth, Eva Katherine passed. 

Through their journey of grief, Kila and Cesar began to pray for their path to be revealed. Today, they believe their prayers have been answered. Kila and Cesar use their experience and grief to help other families as they face pregnancy and infant loss. They felt that it was their mission in life to support those grieving families in honor of Eva. 

Kila chose to advance her mission and expanded her knowledge and training by becoming a Certified Birth & Bereavement Doula. Then, launched the non-profit organization, I Will Carry You. Kila and Cesar both believe families, facing this unimaginable loss, should not have to worry about the cost of all the birth and bereavement services. I Will Carry You hosts fundraisers and receives donations from the community. They then use that money to cover all costs for these families. 

Maranda and Ty Salters welcomed their fourth child, Zoey Renee, in 2016. She was a welcome surprise for the Salters family and as she entered the world, was met with her siblings: Keegan and twins, Kelbie and Shelbie. Six weeks later, on May 9th, 2016, Zoey was down for a nap and passed in her sleep from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). SIDS is the leading cause of infant death in the United States. 

After thoughtful consideration in their time of grief, Maranda and Ty realized that Zoey’s legacy was to save other babies. The Salters family began The Zoey Renee Project. The Zoey Renee Project provided families with a smart sock, an Owlet, that would help monitor the oxygen and heart rate of infants while they sleep and send an alert to the parents if any drop or change in vitals occurs. The Zoey project also worked to spread knowledge and awareness of SIDS. 

Maranda and Ty were determined to provide these Owlet monitors to as many families as possible, especially those who could not afford them. The Zoey Renee Project worked alongside the manufacturer, who agreed to match their donations 1:1. The Zoey Renee Project provided 2,000 Owlet monitors to families. After feeling like their mission was complete, they closed The Zoey Renee Project in 2022. But Maranda continues to honor Zoey by working with The Angel’s Gala.

Having NICU, PICU, and Labor and delivery experience, Shady Honaker was required to have training in bereavement care. She worked in 4 different hospitals in Louisiana, all with different bereavement care programs. Shady did everything she could to give all her patients a memorable experience, bringing compassion and care she was known for doing and making sentimental things for her patients.  

On January 27th, 2021, she gave birth to her son, Samuel “Sam”. Sam was stillborn, and even though the hospital provided wonderful medical care and compassion, it was not the bereavement care expected. Once at home, Shady opened her “box” and was angry. The hand and footprints were of poor quality, there were only four badly angled photographs, and none of Sam's clothing or even his blanket were inside. From this very moment, Shady vowed to make a difference and to make sure no other family would feel the anger she felt as she looked in her box.  

In her anger and sadness, Shady cried as she shared this with a friend and opened her own memory book she made for Sam. When Shady’s friend Nancy saw the loss books, she wanted to add them to her hospital's bereavement care. This is where Sam’s Love began.  

Shady founded Sam’s Love with the mission to provide parents walking through stillbirth, pregnancy, and infant loss a space to remember, celebrate, and share with others their most precious child. Sam’s Love provides baby books, at no cost, for families going through pregnancy loss, infant loss, and stillbirth. With the handouts, located in each book, they hope to give parents the confidence to advocate for themselves to receive the kind of bereavement care they want and deserve.  

Shady and Don Honaker married in 2015, and are parents to three beautiful children - Luke, Chandler, and Samuel “Sam”. Shady honors Sam’s legacy through Sam’s Love and by actively serving on The Angel’s Gala committee.  

April and Mike Bagby lost their son Joshua at 19 weeks. From their loss, they developed a deep compassion for other families facing pregnancy and infant loss. April and Mike wanted to give other families facing this unimaginable loss a voice and help provide them comfort.  

April and Mike married in 2003 and are parents to four beautiful children – Justin, Kaitlyn, Jacob, and Rebekah. They live a busy life in West Monroe. April runs Bagby Business Solutions and Bagby Rental.  

After seeing how The Angel’s Gala brings comfort in unimaginable grief, removes stigma, and unites families, April was honored to join The Angel’s Gala as their Guest Experience & Volunteer Coordinator. April found a way to honor Joshua, to help families facing pregnancy and infant loss, and provide comfort. 

Amy Snow proudly raises her family in Monroe/West Monroe. She has four children, including her two bonus daughters Madi and Tiffany, her son Ethan, and daughter Chloe Grace. Amy is a Business Manager at Strategic Counseling Solutions. Amy helps foster understanding, love, and grace through the power of sharing stories. Through her work, Amy helps bring others hope, healing, and restoration.  

Amy started out at The Angel’s Gala as a Volunteer. She became passionate about raising awareness for infant loss and later joined The Angel’s Gala as a committee member, working as the Décor + Guest Experience/VIP Coordinator. She is honored to be a part of something so meaningful and is committed to supporting these families and honoring their precious angels. 

Roman was born sleeping May 27th, 2014. Within three months of his passing Staci Pitre founded Roman’s Wings of Hope. Roman’s Wings of Hope made a difference in the state of Louisiana, placing their first cooling bassinet in 2015. This bassinet made history and forever changed bereavement care in hospitals across the state. 

Roman’s Wings of Hope used donations to place bassinets, memory boxes, blankets, teddy bears, and so much more in hospitals all over Louisiana.  In 2018, after five years, Staci felt that the calling and purpose of Roman’s Wings of Hope was completed and that it was time to move onto a new chapter.  

Staci Pitre is a mother to four beautiful children. Three children here on Earth and one angel. After Roman’s Wings of Hope, Staci relocated to northern Louisiana, where she continues to make the voices of grieving parents heard everywhere. Staci continues Roman’s legacy through The Angel’s Gala. 

At 12 weeks pregnant, Chandler and Jimmy Gaiennie chose to do genetic testing to find out the gender of their baby early. When the results came in, Chandler and Jimmy learned their daughter Olivia, had Trisomy 18 and Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. Trisomy 18, or Edwards syndrome, is a genetic condition caused by an extra copy of chromosome 18, potentially causing organ defects and developmental delays. Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome occurs when the left side of a baby's heart is underdeveloped. 

Early Valentine's Day morning, February 14th, 2022, precious Olivia Louise was born and lived 51 minutes. Olivia was surrounded by love and family. Those who love her most were able to say hello and see you later before she was placed back in her mother's arms, where she went to sleep peacefully. Through Olivia, God gave Chandler and Jimmy purpose to the pain. In this purpose, Love Like Olivia formed. 

“Because of Olivia, Jimmy and Chandler saw firsthand how important compassionate bereavement care truly is. In moments of unimaginable grief, families deserve more than medical treatment, they deserve gentleness, dignity, and support that meets them where they are.” – LoveLikeOlivia.com 

Love Like Olivia hosts an annual fundraiser to honor Olivia Louise Gaiennie. The fundraiser consists of a 10k, a 5k, and a 1-mile fun run. On October 4th, 2025, Love Like Oliva hosted their fundraiser at Flying Tiger Brewery in downtown Monroe to raise funds to help build the bereavement suite at St. Francis Medical Center. 

Chandler is a northeast Louisiana native who lives her dream as a stay-at-home mom while also working as a self-taught digital creator in social media and graphic design. Chandler and Jimmy married in 2017, and they have five beautiful children—three earthside: Adaleigh, Mac, and Sally, and two angels, Olivia and Teddy. 

Chandler continues Olivia’s mission by serving on The Angel’s Gala committee. Chandler and Jimmy both serve on the Bereavement Suite Committee, helping create a space for families navigating loss. They do all of this while running Love Like Oliva. Their journey through infant loss ignited a passion for supporting other grieving families.