Our Team
Victoria Abel
Victoria Abel is an A10 Crew Chief in the 442nd Fighter Wing at Whiteman AFB, in Missouri where she has served for eight years. Her time there has given her the opportunity to travel to Afghanistan for two deployments, along with countless TDYs all over the U.S. and abroad. She was born and raised in rural Missouri in an Army family.
Victoria is a military spouse of three years to MSgt Jeffery Abel, bonus mom to two beautiful teen girls and an angel momma to four early term pregnancy losses and twin boys, Collin Jeffrey and Lucas Henry. The boys were born and passed on April 20, 2023, just under 20 weeks gestation due to an incompetent cervix, while Jeff was deployed to Korea. Victoria is ardent about serving others through this indescribable loss, especially in this beautifully, hard military life we live.
Emily Anderson
Emily Anderson has been married to MAJ Kyle Anderson of the U.S. Army for ten years. They have lived in Savannah, GA, Pinehurst, NC and most recently returned from a two year stint in Germany. They have settled in their forever home in the small town of Higginsville, MO.
Shortly after their first wedding anniversary, they lost their first daughter at 24 weeks gestation due to a rare genetic disorder called Turner’s Syndrome. Olivia Marie was born sleeping on September 3, 2014 while they were still in Savannah 1,000 miles away from family. Emily is incredibly passionate about helping military families traverse the path of grief, sorrow and frustration in any way that is needed.
Our Origin Story
Victoria and Emily met through a mutual friend (and now board member) Teri Eckhoff. Teri invited Tory to attend a women’s conference with Emily and another friend in October of 2022. They barely knew each other, a friend of a friend really, when Emily dropped everything to be with Tory after going into preterm labor in April of 2023. Emily became the biggest blessing on the hardest day after holding Tory’s hand and her husband on FaceTime as she delivered her sweet boys.
Through their loss they noticed a need for additional resources, support, empathy, and more importantly, a change in DOD policy surrounding the loss of an infant. Through incredible hardship something beautiful has blossomed and they are happy to share Love Over Circumstances to honor their angel babies by serving others in their names.