Alexa PenaVega: ‘Incredible to See How God Moved’ Following Stillbirth
By Movieguide® Contributor
Alexa PenaVega is updating fans on how her family is doing following the stillborn birth of their daughter Indy.
“We’re doing well. We’re actually doing really well, considering everything,” she said in an Instagram video. “We have been so thankful reading all your messages of support, all the prayers that you guys have prayed — we have felt them. I don’t know how else we would’ve gotten through this season without all of you lifting us up in prayer.”
PenaVega said this season has been “obviously the most traumatic thing we’ve ever had to go through as a family…but it’s been really incredible to see how God moved through our family during this time.”
“We have obviously felt a lot of pain but also an insane amount of peace. God has really met us in this place between pain and peace, and it doesn’t make any sense, other than that it is his supernatural peace that is just covering us,” she continued. “This season, I have learned so much about pain with purpose.”
In addition to losing Indy, PenaVega’s health “declined a lot, and nobody could figure out what was wrong.”
“It was a very hard season for all of us to navigate, but I don’t think I’ve ever surrendered in this way to God in my life,” she described. “I just remember completely surrendering and having the pain in my heart from the loss, the pain in my body from trying to figure out what’s going on with me, I just kept praying, ‘God, give this pain purpose….do not let this pain go to waste.’”
PenaVega continued, “Indy’s little life has transformed us. Our family has never been stronger. My faith has never been stronger. My marriage has never been stronger. Her life was so purposeful…and while she may not have taken a breath here on Earth, she did not go without purpose. It’s hard to understand why these kinds of things happen, but I want you to know that that’s not God taking a kid away from us. I know that whenever the enemy can try to throw us off or take us out or hurt us, God already knows all the attacks of the enemy, and while he can’t necessarily just stop these attacks from happening, he prepares us for them, and he equips us.”
“It doesn’t make sense, and days will continue to be hard,” she concluded. “I’m just going to continue to allow his peace to just overwhelm us.”
PenaVega and her husband Carlos announced the loss of their child in April in a joint statement, writing, “Grief has come to us in waves. Moments of feeling absolutely gutted… then moments of feeling blessed by just getting a moment with her. Indy Rex PenaVega, you completely changed our world,” they ended their statement. “You moved us to a new place. You gave us the community we have been longing for. We love you can’t wait to see how many other lives you change.”
Movieguide® previously reported on the couple’s loss:
Actress Alexa PenaVega shared a heartfelt Mother’s Day message following the stillbirth of her daughter last month.
“Happy Mama’s day to all the beautiful mamas out there,” she posted on her Instagram Story. “Whether you have your little angels in your arms today… or little heavenly angels or both… may you be lovingly celebrated and feel extra blessed to be right where you are!”
PenaVega and her husband, Carlos, shared the devastating news of their daughter, Indy’s, death on April 15.
“There are never the right words to say when it comes to loss,” the PenaVegas wrote. “After a beautiful and peaceful delivery our daughter ‘Indy’ was born at rest. It has been a painful journey. But in the pain we have found peace. God continues to comfort and hold us in his arms. The prayers from the community around us have been so sustaining in this difficult season.”
The couple also share sons Ocean, 6, and Kingston, 4, as well as daughter Rio, 2, and often talk about what it’s like to parent three kids.
“[As a parent] you become a servant,” PenaVega shared. “At least for those first few years, your intention has to be with those kids. Sure your life can get a little harder with two or three kids, but you learn to adjust. That biggest adjustment comes from zero [kids] to one. All of a sudden you have a kid and your whole world changes, I believe for the better.”