Please note: This post discusses pregnancy loss, maternal death, and grief. The content may be difficult for those who have experienced similar losses. Please read when you feel ready, and remember it’s okay to step away if needed.
When Francilia Garcia finally became pregnant with twin boys after years of struggling with infertility, it should have been the beginning of her happily ever after. She had done everything right – changed her diet, eliminated toxins from her home, underwent treatment for endometriosis, and poured herself into preparing for motherhood with the kind of dedication that defined who she was as a person.
But on April 20, 2025, just weeks after welcoming Micah and Elijah into the world, Francilia passed away from pregnancy-related complications. She was a beloved wife, sister, daughter, friend, and first-time mother whose life was cut tragically short by a healthcare system that failed her.
In a recent episode of Viva la Mami, I had the profound honor of sitting down with Francilia’s husband Eddie Garcia, her sister Jessica Bess, her sister-in-law Elisa Garcia, and Eddie’s aunt Christina Galindo – all of whom have channeled their devastating grief into creating Francilia’s Twice the Love Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness about maternal health and supporting families affected by pregnancy loss.
Honoring Those Experiencing Loss
Before diving into Francilia’s story, I want to honor Jessica’s words from our conversation: “I do want to take the time to honor those that are experiencing a loss, because it is, it never fails. Any time that I talk about her story, it’s just, it’s still really painful. We’re still dealing with the grief and that’s why I want to honor those and take this opportunity in this platform to let people know that are listening, that it’s okay to not be okay.”
For many of you reading this, it will be a story. But for Francilia’s family, this is their reality. They’re learning to live with the pain of losing someone so deeply loved, and they’re sharing this experience so that it doesn’t become anyone else’s reality.
The Journey No One Talks About
Francilia’s path to motherhood was anything but easy. After years of unexplained infertility, she was eventually diagnosed with stage four endometriosis and PCOS. But even after receiving these diagnoses, she had to fight for answers and advocate relentlessly for proper treatment. It’s a story that resonates with so many women who know something is wrong but are dismissed or told their struggles are “unexplained.”
Once Francilia became pregnant, she embraced every moment with joy and gratitude. Her family describes her as glowing, positive, and strong throughout her pregnancy. But looking back, the warning signs were there – swelling, pain in her side that she attributed to the babies kicking, symptoms that seemed normal for pregnancy but were actually early indicators of preeclampsia.
“She never complained,” Jessica shared during our conversation, her voice heavy with emotion. “Nothing was ever wrong just because she was so happy to be pregnant. She was grateful. But there were signs.”
When “Normal Pregnancy Symptoms” Become Deadly
Christina Galindo, a pediatric nurse practitioner with 15 years of NICU and OB experience, helped break down what every pregnant person needs to know about preeclampsia and HELLP syndrome (Hemolysis, Elevated Liver enzymes, Low Platelet count).
Preeclampsia typically shows up around 20 weeks of pregnancy and is characterized by elevated blood pressure (over 140/90), headaches, blurry vision, sudden swelling of hands and feet, and upper gastric pain. But here’s what many people don’t know: preeclampsia can last up to six weeks postpartum. The danger doesn’t end when you give birth.
HELLP syndrome is even more severe, leading to bleeding disorders, organ failure, heart failure, and in the worst cases, maternal or infant death. These conditions require immediate medical attention, yet they’re often dismissed as normal pregnancy discomforts.
“Anything that’s not our normal baseline is concerning,” Christina emphasized. “Know where you started—what was your normal blood pressure, your normal body, because then if these things start showing up, you’ll recognize them.”
A Healthcare System That’s Failing Mothers
Perhaps the most shocking revelation from our conversation was this statistic from the American Association of Critical Care Nurses: Over 80% of pregnancy-related deaths are preventable, yet maternal deaths have increased by 200% from 1993 to 2024.
Let that sink in. Despite advances in medical technology, we’re losing more mothers now than we were three decades ago.
The disparities are even more alarming when we look at race. Black patients are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white patients. In underserved communities, particularly rural areas and border towns like Imperial County where Francilia’s family lives, access to quality maternal healthcare is increasingly limited. The OB department in El Centro closed years ago, leaving only one hospital in the area for women to give birth.
“Where do these moms go?” Elisa asked. “It puts their life at risk.”
The Power of Advocacy (And Why It’s Not Enough)
Everyone in Francilia’s family emphasized one crucial message: advocate for yourself. Know your body. Trust your instincts. Ask questions. Don’t be intimidated by medical professionals. Get a second opinion if something feels off.
But here’s the uncomfortable truth: Francilia’s family did trust the medical professionals. They believed the doctors who said everything was fine. Even with Christina and Elisa’s backgrounds in healthcare, even with Francilia’s own advocacy during her infertility journey, the system still failed her.
“We trusted the doctors,” Jessica said. “These are the professionals. This is what they do every day.”
Eddie added, “You kind of get a little intimidated, you know, ’cause they’re doctors and they’re very knowledgeable. So you might be afraid to ask that question, or you might feel stupid asking a question, but you shouldn’t feel that way.”
While patient advocacy is important, it cannot be the sole solution to a broken system. Mothers shouldn’t have to fight to be heard. They shouldn’t have to prove they’re in danger. The burden of prevention cannot rest entirely on the shoulders of pregnant people who are already navigating one of the most vulnerable times of their lives.
Turning Grief Into Purpose
After Francilia passed away, her family faced an impossible question: How do we keep living when our world has been shattered?
Their answer was Francilia’s Twice the Love Foundation. The nonprofit serves a dual mission: raising awareness about maternal health (so no other family has to experience this nightmare) and giving back to the community in ways that honor Francilia’s generous, loving spirit. She had worked with homeless shelters, served as a case manager for children, and was a teacher’s aide for special needs students. The foundation supports these same communities while ensuring her twin boys, Micah and Elijah, grow up knowing not just what happened to their mother, but who she was.
“We don’t want anyone to go through this,” Jessica said. “For most of you, this will just be a story. But this is our reality, and we just want to learn from it so it doesn’t become someone else’s reality.”
The foundation provides educational materials, supports families, hosts community events, and creates safe spaces for mothers to share their stories, whether they’re survivors of birth trauma or families grieving a loss. They’re planning their first annual walk in May for Preeclampsia Awareness Month, on what would have been Francilia’s birthday.
What We All Need to Do Better
This conversation left me with a profound sense of urgency. As a Latina mother, as someone who believes in the power of community, as a human being, I know we have to do better.
For expecting parents: Educate yourself on the warning signs of preeclampsia and HELLP syndrome. Know your baseline. Document your symptoms. Don’t dismiss pain or swelling as “just pregnancy.” Ask questions. Demand answers. Get second opinions.
For healthcare providers: Listen to mothers. Believe them when they say something is wrong. Provide thorough postpartum monitoring, especially for high-risk patients. Follow up sooner than two weeks after discharge. Recognize your implicit biases and actively work to provide equitable care.
For our community: Support organizations like Francilia’s Twice the Love Foundation. Share these stories. Have these conversations. Show up for the mothers in your life – during pregnancy, after birth, and in the weeks and months that follow.
For policymakers and healthcare systems: Invest in maternal health research. Address racial disparities. Make doulas and comprehensive prenatal care accessible. Don’t close rural OB departments. Treat maternal health as the crisis it is.
A Legacy of Love
Eddie is now raising Micah and Elijah surrounded by Francilia’s village, her sister Jessica, her mother Lupita, Eddie’s mother Rosalinda, his sister Elisa, his aunt Christina, Francilia’s best friend Irma, and countless others who loved her.
“She really is our angel,” Jessica said through tears. “She really is the person that’s making us get up and go, making us do all this.”
Ten months after losing Francilia, the pain is still raw. “You never forget,” Jessica reminded us. “You learn to live with the pain.”
But through that pain, they’re creating change. They’re saving lives. They’re honoring a woman who gave everything to become a mother and whose memory will now protect countless other mothers from the same fate.
Francilia wanted nothing more than to be a mom. She gave birth to two beautiful, healthy boys. Now it’s up to all of us to make sure her story – her life, not just her death – creates the change our healthcare system desperately needs.
Show Notes
In this deeply moving episode, I sit down with Eddie Garcia, Elisa Garcia, Christina Galindo, and Jessica Bess to hear Francilia Garcia’s story – a beloved wife, first-time mother, and advocate who tragically passed away from childbirth complications just weeks after welcoming her twin boys.
Through their grief, Francilia’s family created Francilia’s Twice the Love Foundation to raise awareness about preeclampsia, HELLP syndrome, and postpartum risks that claim too many mothers’ lives.
A note before listening: This episode discusses pregnancy loss, maternal death, and grief. The content is deeply personal and may be difficult for some listeners, especially those who have experienced similar losses or trauma. Please listen when you feel emotionally prepared, and know that it’s okay to pause or step away if needed.
What You’ll Hear:
- Francilia’s journey through infertility and her tragic passing from pregnancy complications
- The warning signs of preeclampsia and HELLP syndrome that every pregnant person and new mother needs to know
- Racial disparities in maternal healthcare and why women of color are the most vulnerable
- How to advocate for yourself during pregnancy and postpartum
- The creation of Francilia’s Twice the Love Foundation and how they’re supporting families while keeping Francilia’s memory alive
Resources Mentioned in the Episode:
- Preeclampsia Foundation
- Post on maternal health statistics and research
- Annual Walk Event – Join Francilia’s Twice the Love Foundation in May
Follow Francilia’s Twice the Love Foundation
- Instagram: @franciliastwicethelove
- TikTok: @franciliastwicethelove
- Email: franciliastwicethelove@gmail.com
About Our Guests and Foundation
Francilia’s Twice the Love Foundation
Eddie Garcia, Jessica Bess, Elisa Garcia, and Christina Galindo are some of the founding members of Francilia’s Twice the Love Foundation, a nonprofit organization born from profound loss and transformed into a mission of hope and awareness.
Eddie is Francilia’s husband and father to their twin boys, Micah and Elijah. Jessica is Francilia’s sister and serves as the foundation’s Vice President. Elisa is Eddie’s sister, Francilia’s sister-in-law, and manages the foundation’s social media presence. She is also an ICU nurse. Christina is Eddie’s aunt and the foundation’s Secretary, bringing her expertise as a pediatric nurse practitioner with 15 years of NICU and OB experience.
Rooted in compassion, advocacy, and community, Francilia’s Twice the Love Foundation raises awareness about maternal health risks, particularly preeclampsia and HELLP syndrome, empowers mothers to recognize warning signs, and supports families in need through meaningful community initiatives. The foundation honors Francilia Garcia’s legacy by giving back to the causes she cared deeply about, including supporting children with special needs, educators, and families facing hardship. Together, they are ensuring that Francilia’s spirit lives on through Micah and Elijah while working to prevent other families from experiencing the same devastating loss.
