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By Alyce Collins and Maribeth Powers
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People always say the things that impact your life the most can also be taken from you in an instant, and I never truly understood that until now.
My life was forever changed the moment I met the love of my life, James Foster Henderson V, who everyone knew as Jack, in April last year.
I was ordering a drink and trying to sign my receipt, but my pen wouldn’t work. Jack was standing beside me and offered his pen instead.
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We laughed, started talking, and the rest was history. It’s hard to explain, but I felt like I had known him forever. Being with Jack felt easy, natural and like home.
Neither of us had to wonder if we were meant to be because we both knew from the beginning. It felt like I had never lived without him, and we immediately knew we never wanted to be without each other.
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I found out I was pregnant in August 2025, and I’ll never forget Jack’s reaction when I told him. He could not stop smiling, and we were both completely over the moon. From that moment on, we loved our baby immensely.
I immediately scheduled my first ultrasound and was constantly listening to the heartbeat. I worried about everything, and Jack would always laugh and tell me the baby was fine.
I was due in May 2026, and, as the pregnancy progressed, Jack and I started to plan our family’s future.
We talked about building a home, having more children, and getting married. We even planned to go to the courthouse on November 17, 2025 to make it official, but I got called in to work. We figured we would just go another day instead.
Unfortunately, Jack and I would never be given another opportunity to become husband and wife. We came so close, and that is something I will always live with.
‘My Entire World Changed Forever’
On Tuesday, November 18, 2025, Jack headed out for a motorcycle ride. I remember seeing him put the gear on and asked him not to go, but he had made his mind up.
Before he left, I told him to be careful and that I loved him.
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While he was still out, I started making one of our favorite meals, ready for when he got back.
As the food cooked, I went to lay down for a bit, but, after a while, I noticed that Jack still was not back. It was getting late, and he was supposed to head out for a night shift soon.
I checked his location and saw that he had stopped on Walton Way. I did not think much of it, assuming he had just stopped off.
But, as time went on, his location still did not change. I called him several times, but there was no answer. Something in my gut told me to search online for accidents on Walton Way, and the first thing that came up was a headline about a motorcyclist who had been killed. The moment I read those words, I couldn't breathe.
My legs started shaking, and I immediately drove to the accident scene. I left everything as it was, the candles still lit and the food still cooking because nothing else mattered.
I barely got my car into park before running toward where it happened. They had just pulled away with Jack, so I never got to see him. The coroner and police officers were still there so I told them who I was and that I was pregnant.
I was crying so hard, but I finally asked if there was any chance Jack could still be alive. The officer looked at me and said, "No, ma'am. He died on impact."
In that moment, my heart shattered. It was the worst day of my life.
One moment I was making dinner and waiting for the man I loved to come home, and the next, my entire world had changed forever.
It felt like I was trapped in a nightmare that I couldn't wake up from.
‘Being a Mom Gave Me the Strength to Keep Moving’
There were days when I didn't know how I was going to make it through the next hour, much less the next few months, but God carried me through the darkest moments.
I leaned heavily on my family, Jack's family, and my work friends. I truly don't know how I would have made it without them.
Most of all, I knew I had to keep going for our baby.
There were days when I wanted to stay in bed and shut the world out, but every time I felt Jack Foster kick or saw him on an ultrasound, I was reminded that I still had a purpose. I had a little boy depending on me.
Being his mom gave me the strength to keep moving forward, even when my heart was broken.
One detail that will always be special is that our son, Jack Foster, was born on April 29, 2026. That date was exactly one year from the day Jack asked me to be his girlfriend.
Out of all the days he could have arrived, he came into this world on the anniversary of when our story began.
It's a date that holds both one of my happiest memories with Jack and one of the happiest days of my life becoming a mother.
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Before everything happened, we planned to name our son River Foster. After losing Jack, I knew in my heart that I wanted our son to carry his father’s name. It felt like a way to honor the incredible man his father was and ensure that a part of him would always live on.
Every time I say my son’s name, I am reminded of the love we shared.
We are doing well and taking life one day at a time. Our son is growing and thriving and looks more like his daddy every day. My family and Jack's family have wrapped their arms around us from the very beginning, and our son is surrounded by people who love him deeply and make sure he knows who his dad was.
I believe that, although Jack is in Heaven, his love still surrounds us. I see him in our son; every smile, expression, and his little features reminds me that part of Jack is still here.
I want people to know who Jack was beyond the tragedy. He was kind, hardworking, funny, and so excited to become a father.
While our story includes unimaginable loss, it also includes incredible love. Our son will grow up knowing exactly who his dad was, how much he loved him, and how God’s grace has carried us through every step.
I look forward to the day when I see Jack again.
Until then, I will honor him by raising our son with faith, love, and the values we both hoped to pass on to him.
Maribeth Powers, 29, resides in Augusta, Georgia, with her newborn son, Jack Foster.
Following the tragic passing of her partner, Jack Henderson, she has been documenting their brief but powerful journey on TikTok (@maribethpowers0) to continue his memory.
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