Alex Green became a single father four months ago when his son's mother, Catherine Twete, was killed in a car accident. Green, who lives in Bend, OR, with his 8-month-old son, Brody, asked the Facebook community for help finding breast milk.
"Hello everyone, my sister just invited me to this page," KATU reports Green wrote on a closed Facebook group called "Portland Mamas." "I am a new single father to Brody, my 8-month-old son. His mother died in a car crash four months ago. His mother wanted to breast-feed him until he was a year old. So for the past four months I have continuously been seeking out breast milk donations. And that is what I am doing now."
Green told KATU that he was motivated to search for donations rather than using formula because of Twete's wishes: "I knew his mom wanted to breast-feed until he was a year old, and I was willing to do whatever it takes to do that for him."
It's not uncommon for parents to seek help breast-feeding their children. Breast milk banks exist throughout the country, with donated milk usually going to patients in neonatal units. Sites like Only The Breast even allow mothers producing extra milk to sell what their babies don't need. Many volunteer groups, such as Human Milk 4 Babies and Eats On Feets, utilize Facebook to facilitate breast milk donations for people like Green.
But thanks to the kindness of strangers in the "Portland Mamas" Facebook group, it seems Green won't be needing any additional help: According to Yahoo, the donations he has received or been offered will ensure that Brody has enough breast milk to last him a full year — just as his mother wished.