WASHINGTON — New England Patriots tight end Eli Raridon and his wife, Anna, announced Tuesday the death of their newborn son, Peter James Raridon, who was diagnosed with the fatal birth defect anencephaly during the pregnancy.
Peter was born Sept. 11, the couple said in a social media post.
The Raridons said doctors diagnosed their son with anencephaly during their 20-week anatomy scan and told them he would not survive outside the womb.
The couple said they were devastated that they could not bring their son home but expressed gratitude for the time they had with him.
“While we are absolutely devastated that we were unable to bring our baby boy home, I am grateful to have loved him deeply, kept him safe, and had been his home for the past 9 months,” the couple said.
Anna Raridon said the experience strengthened her faith and described Peter’s life as meaningful despite its brief duration. She also said the family would continue to remember him as part of their story.
“I have loved you every second of your life & will miss you every second of mine,” she wrote.
Raridon cited passages from 1 Peter and James in the couple’s statement as they mourned their son.
Eli Raridon is in his rookie season with the Patriots after the team selected him in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft. He has recorded two catches and one touchdown in two games this season.
What is anencephaly?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention describes anencephaly as a serious birth defect in which a baby is born without parts of the brain and skull.
The condition is fatal, and no treatment or cure exists. The CDC estimates that about 1 in every 4,762 babies in the United States is born with anencephaly.