Butterfly release to commemorate the year

On a crisp, unseasonably warm October day, the Rodriguez family visited the beautiful Red Butte Gardens botanical garden with a cylindrical cage filled with an assortment of butterflies, freshly emerged from their cocoons and warming up their wings. After scoping out the variety of gardens, the family settled on a serene area by a waterfall spilling into a pond, clear enough to see Bonneville cutthroat trout, the official fish of Utah.

Red Butte Garden occupies one of the easternmost sections of the University of Utah, where the University of Utah medical center could also be seen from some of the higher elevation areas of the garden. Daniela was born on October 4, 2023, at 12:44am at the University of Utah Hospital. Twenty-three days later she took her last breaths in the NICU where nurses and doctors did what they could to resuscitate her, freshly diagnosed with Trisomy 18. In her brief life at the hospital, she made an impact on the staff, who complimented her ever present mother, Danielle Rodriguez, on Daniela's patient yet fierce spirit. Daniela reacted readily to her mother and received all the skin-to-skin contact possible. Videos of Daniela show she responded to and recognized her mother's voice and touch. Father Andrew Angel Rodriguez and sons Angel and Andrew Jr. were able to visit Daniela at the NICU during her life. Admittance to the NICU is very restricted due to the sensitivity of the young patients there. Only the parents and two immediate family members were authorized to visit Daniela. "It was very heartwarming and a privilege." recalled Angel, referring to his visit to see his baby sister in the NICU. Andrew Jr. added "[I was] very happy I got to meet Daniela. She was a precious little baby."

Very happy I got to meet Daniela. She was a precious little baby.

One year later, Danielle celebrated the passage of one year by baking and decorating a two-tiered pink cake filled with white and pink fondant butterflies. With permission from the Red Butte Garden staff, the family released butterflies in a relatively secluded section of Red Butte Garden with a waterfall further cooling the autumn air.

A first in what may become an ongoing family tradition, members took turn gently scooping the butterflies from the container and appreciating the uniqueness of each butterfly in its physical characteristics and behaviors as they gradually warmed up enough to fly away.

"I think this one's ready to fly!" said Asael as he held a butterfly in remembrance of Daniela

The family stayed until the garden closed, basking in the peaceful surroundings and watching the butterflies flutter in all directions. With the remaining few butterflies, the family sauntered to the nearby rose garden and placed butterflies on the intoxicating roses in bloom.

The sunset, cast a cool hue over the garden. As the adults took silent moments to reflect on the beauty of life and the memories of Daniela, with interjections from the kids about what they observed in the garden. Each butterfly that took to the sky symbolized a cherished moment, a whisper of love that would forever linger in their hearts. With a sense of peace and hope, they left the garden, carrying Daniela's spirit with them, knowing that she would always be a part of their journey.

The embedded video shows the highlights of this year's butterfly release: