The Life, Loss & Legacy: Part 4/5
Trigger warning: Pregnancy/Infant Loss
If you rewind the tape far enough, you’ll find that Güven’s sister, Fulya, is the reason he even landed in America in the first place, the reason we met in Cleveland, & the reason this entire saga even exists. While we were living in Virginia, she moved to Columbus, and when we needed a fresh start, we followed. It just made sense. Our niece, Mia, was getting older, and we wanted to be more than long-distance relatives who sent cute birthday gifts. We wanted to be there, too, part of her life, part of her memories.
Not long after settling into Columbus, we got the news we’d been dreaming of since our early days of flirting across state lines and language barriers: we were expecting our first child together. We had the names picked. We had the vision, the dreams, the late-night talks about what kind of parents we’d be. After so much uncertainty in our lives, things were finally coming together.
But then at our 20-week anatomy scan, everything unraveled.
The doctor’s words came in slow motion: our baby was missing vital, life-sustaining organs. No chance of survival. No medical miracles. No fix. Just an unthinkable reality where we had to process the loss of someone we hadn’t even met yet but already loved beyond measure.
Instead of our baby shower, we spent that weekend canceling invites and reading stories from other bereaved parents, trying to grasp what came next. Medical terminology classified Toros’s life under “incompatible with life,” but to us, he was our son. His name already on our lips, his future already imagined. He wasn’t supposed to survive induction. He did. He wasn’t supposed to make it through labor. He did. He defied expectations simply by being born, and then, just as quickly, he was gone.
In the weeks before and after losing Toros, we both lost our jobs. It felt like the world was stripping everything away, daring us to start over. And somehow, in the middle of all that grief, we decided to build something new.
One night, Mia, two years old at the time, came tearing through the house after a bath, wrapped up in a bright purple robe, giggling and glowing like pure joy itself. Something about that moment, that color, that simple, everyday magic, struck me. And I turned to Güven and said, “I love that robe. I love how she looks in it. I love how special it feels.” Come to find out.. this is what Güven’s family has been making for four generations!
Four days after meeting and losing our firstborn, we launched our own brand extension of the family business: Together Textiles.
It was more than a business. It was a decision to keep moving forward, to weave something beautiful out of all the love, loss, and longing we carried. It was a way to honor what we’d been through and build a future where we could keep growing together, thread by thread.
Toros Arpaci
February 16, 2017
Threads of fate
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Threads of fate 〰️
Threads of Fate, Woven Into Every Stitch
Just like our love story, every piece at Together Textiles is made with deep connection and intention.
Wrap yourself in something that feels like destiny—shop our bestsellers!
About Together Textiles:
Cozy, sustainable, and versatile, Together Textiles designs robes and towels traditionally woven on looms in Turkey using the same techniques passed down four generations. Purchasing from Together Textiles means you are supporting an ancient craft, along with a budding family of five who loves connecting with the local communities while splitting time between Türkiye and our studio in Ohio. Follow the family business journey on Instagram @togethertextiles or read the blog togethertextiles.com/blog.
To shop Together Textiles, visit https://www.togethertextiles.com Or shop with us on Etsy or Faire.