Drake White and his wife, Alex, are living through the kind of heartbreak no parent ever wants to face.
On August 31, their baby girl, Della Elizabeth White, was born at just 29 weeks. She weighed three pounds, three and a half ounces, and measured thirteen and a half inches long. Della took her first breath at 8:52 a.m. and left this world just twenty minutes later at 9:12 a.m., going peacefully into the arms of Jesus.
In a statement shared on Instagram, Drake and Alex wrote, “We are so thankful for the holy moments God gave us with her. The Lord has been so near and close to us during this difficult time. He has held us up and sustained us through it all. We are heartbroken and soul tired, but we know we will get through this difficult time with the strength, peace, and joy that only our Heavenly Father can provide. May Della be held in the arms of Jesus until we see her again someday.”
They also leaned on scripture and quoted Psalm 34:18, which says, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” They followed with words from Psalm 31, “I am dying from my grief; my years are shortened by sadness. Misery has drained my strength; I am wasting away from within. But I am trusting you, O Lord, saying, ‘You are my God!’ My future is in your hands.” Faith has always been their anchor, and during this storm, it is the one thing holding them steady.
The country music community has rallied around the couple with words of comfort. RaeLynn wrote, “I am so sorry. Praying for you 3. Jesus is near the broken hearted! Cover them Jesus.” Lauren Alaina added, “My heart aches for you. Sending so much love and prayer your way.” Karen Fairchild of Little Big Town spoke for many when she said, “So very sorry. My heart is breaking for you both. Sending you so much love.”
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Drake and Alex’s road to parenthood has already been full of trials. Their son, William Hawk, now two years old, was conceived through IVF after years of struggle. In May, they announced with joy that Alex was pregnant again and due in November. This miracle was hard fought and the result of another IVF journey, and friends and fans were ready to welcome the newest member of the White family. No one expected the story to turn this way.
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Both Drake and Alex know something about endurance because they have faced battles before. In 2019, Drake collapsed on stage after suffering a stroke, and doctors warned he might never sing again. He refused to quit and fought his way back, eventually performing once more and even sharing the stage with Riley Green this year.
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Alex has her own battles since she was diagnosed in 2020 with type 1 diabetes and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, a rare neurological disorder. The couple have spent their marriage climbing mountains most people never see, and still they have chosen faith over despair.
Now they face their hardest climb yet, which is the loss of their baby daughter. It is impossible to imagine that kind of pain, yet they are showing the same grit and grace that has marked their story from the start. The way they talk about Della proves her life, though brief, will never be forgotten.
Country music often lives in the space between joy and sorrow, and right now the Whites are carrying both. Della’s twenty minutes on this earth have already left an imprint far beyond their family. She will be remembered in songs, in prayers, and in the strength her parents continue to show.
The stage lights will come back on for Drake White, but there will always be a piece of his heart in heaven, and her name is Della.
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