On quiet afternoons, Scottsdale’s Sheridan James often sits beneath a tree in her backyard while her two daughters play nearby.
To most people, it may look like an ordinary tree.
To Sheridan, it is everything.
It is Tristan's tree, planted in honor of the baby boy she lost.
“It’s a place where I go to feel connected to him,” Sheridan says. “Nature reminds me his energy is still here. Even though he isn’t physically with us, he lives on in the beauty that surrounds us.”
October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, a time to recognize the babies whose lives ended too soon and the families who continue carrying their memory.
For Sheridan, remembrance is not limited to a single month. It has become the foundation of a growing mission rooted in love, connection and hope.
She remembers waking one night during her pregnancy with a sudden, overwhelming sense that something was wrong.
“It was heartbreaking and gut-wrenching.”
She carried that fear into the hospital.
In the weeks that followed, Sheridan instinctively turned to nature. A family friend gave the family a tree in Tristan’s honor, creating a place where she could sit with her grief and feel close to her son.
“Our tree became a way to keep Tristan’s spirit alive,” she says. “It is a sacred place of connection.”
One of the most painful parts of losing a child, Sheridan explains, is the fear that the child will be forgotten. Tristan’s tree gave her family something living and tangible, something that could grow alongside their love for him.
“Tristan is real. He is forever our son. His tree is our way of keeping his spirit alive. Now, Tristan’s Trees is our way of honoring all children who have passed away.”
Founded in January 2026, Tristan’s Trees is a nonprofit that honors children lost through stillbirth, infant loss or at any point in childhood by giving their families a living memorial.
Each tree is sourced through a nationwide network of nurseries and delivered to a family’s home or another meaningful location. For parents and siblings, it becomes a peaceful place to speak a child’s name, reflect and remain connected.
“Along my grief journey, I connected with people who made me feel less alone. That inspired me to create this nonprofit, granting families the gift our tree has given me and building connection so no one walks this path alone.”
In its first year, Tristan’s Trees planted 23 memorial trees for families across the country spanning Virginia Beach, Utah, Texas and Indianapolis, with a particular focus on Arizona.
Sheridan hopes to plant approximately 75 more through 2027.
“Every time we deliver a tree, my heart breaks a little because I know their pain. But I also know how meaningful it can be to have a place where their child is remembered.”
Each memorial costs approximately $500 to source, deliver and plant, but families never receive a bill. Individual donations, community sponsors and fundraising events cover the cost.
The nonprofit’s annual fundraiser, the Festival of Hope, brings families together for a day of connection and shared purpose while raising money to plant more memorial trees. The next event will take place February 28th, 2027, at Hopi Elementary School and will include games, crafts, inflatables, food trucks and music.
Funds raised will help move Tristan’s Trees toward its goal of planting 100 living memorials. The organization is currently seeking Festival of Hope sponsors and year-round community partners to help continue the mission.
“Strength can come from weakness, and love can be shared even in the darkest times. Moving forward is the only option because life keeps going.”
At home, Sheridan’s daughters know they have a brother. The family recognizes the hummingbird as Tristan’s sign, a small reminder that he remains part of their lives and their family’s story.
“I want to show my daughters that even from something so awful, something beautiful can grow."
Tristan’s Trees allows Sheridan to remain rooted in her son’s memory while helping other families move through the unimaginable.
“I hope he’d say, ‘You’re doing good, Mom. You’re doing something beautiful out of something so painful,’” she says. “That he would be proud to know this work, in his name, is helping other families feel less alone.”
To request a memorial tree, donate, sponsor an event or become a community partner, visit tristanstrees.org or follow @Tristans.Trees on Instagram.