Roy Eaton at the Bitter End Monday, December 3, 2012

Roy F. Eaton

WHAT: Benefit for Michal Friedman Snyder: An evening to remember Michal the Girl and to support the Snyder Twins
WHO: Manhattan Twins Club
WHEN: Mon Dec 3, 2012, 7-8 pm EST
WHERE: The Bitter End
147 Bleecker St. Between Thompson and LaGuardia  FREE ADMISSION
WHY?  Remember this story last year?

Mom dies after giving birth to twins

HEIDI EVANS

Wednesday, December 07, 2011

Michal Lura Friedman wanted more than anything to be a mom.

On their second date, her husband, Jay Snyder, recalled, she just came right out with it: “I want to get married and have kids.”

After seven years of trying, the 44-year-old singer-songwriter became pregnant with twins. The next nine months were the happiest of the Manhattan couple’s lives.

With her husband at her side in the OR, Friedman delivered a healthy 6-pound girl at 4:48 p.m. on Nov. 25 and a 7-pound, 12-ounce boy two minutes later.

Four and a half hours later, she was dead.

“One of the many things that is despicable about this is that she didn’t really even get a chance to hold her kids,” a tearful Snyder told the Daily News. “They held up the babies to her, she saw them and smiled at me, but she was kind of out of it from the drugs. She wanted to be a mother more than anything else in the world.”

Friedman, who described her tiny, 100-pound frame as “5 foot nothing,” had just the usual morning sickness — with no hint that anything terrible could happen as her due date approached.

Because one of the children was a breech baby, a C-section was scheduled for Nov 28. The children were full-term — 38 weeks.

The day after Thanksgiving, an elated Friedman went to NYU Langone Medical Center for her preop appointment. Her blood pressure was elevated, Snyder said, so doctors made the decision to admit her and do the C-section that day.

A grieving Snyder, and dozens of relatives and friends who loved the spirited and spiritual woman known as “Michal the Girl,” now struggle to understand what happened.

It is an unspeakable tragedy that Snyder, 41, is trying to absorb, replaying in his head her final hours as he watched doctors try to stem her postoperative bleeding, and then saw her slip away on an ICU table.

Twin mom, Amy Gillston, is doing a Benefit to remember Michal and to support the Snyder Twins. Moved by this story, I volunteered to perform. I will also donate 50% of any CD sales made then. The event is free, but you can make a donation at the door if you wish. There is a cash bar and snacks will be provided. You are invited to stay at the Bitter End following the event or we can all go and grab a drink afterwards.

Amy truly hopes that you can all make it to this wonderful event. Come and hear musicians play, MTC members recite poetry, and a few words from those close to Michal and her babies, Reverie and Jackson. The MTC has been incredibly supportive to the Snyder family and Amy would love to see all of you at The Bitter End to remember and honor Michal.

 

Amy is also accepting any other performers that would like to play/sing, read, or recite poetry. 

Please RSVP. Thank you!

RSVP: http://www.bigtent.com/home/calendar/event/74019140