In mid-July, Officer Matthew Gerald was among three Baton Rouge, Louisiana police officers who were murdered in an ambush style attack by a gunmen who wanted to kill cops.
Nearly two months after Gerald’s death, his wife made an announcement that his legacy will live on.
Dechia Gerald told WAFB that shortly after her husband's funeral she discovered she was pregnant.
The couple conceived the child several days before Gerald’s murder.
"I just wanted to let the world know about our gift that Matt left behind when he left us," Gerald said. "We’re expecting."
According to the expectant mother, her daughter knew that she was pregnant before she did.
Geraldtold recalled to to WAFB that her daughter told her she was pregnant while they were picking out clothes to wear to a memorial service.
"She said, ‘Mommy, I don’t know why you’re complaining.’ She said, ‘Because you’re pregnant,’ and I said, ‘Girl hush, don’t say that kind of stuff,'" Gerald said.
A week later, at a familiy get together, Gerald took a home pregnancy test to confirm the news and immediately told her loved ones.
"For the most part, it's a blessing," Gerald said. "I mean, obviously, he left us a very special gift behind, but at the same time, all those days that I get overwhelmed, I ask how am I going to do this by myself without him."
Still, 10 weeks into her pregnancy, Gerald believes that the conception is a "gift" from her late husband.
"There’s no better gift that a husband could leave behind than a baby, a gift from God. There’s no better gift than that."
