Couple turns heartbreaking pregnancy loss into funny TikTok video that's surprisingly healing
The video is captioned, “When your resignation from being DINKS is denied.”
Humor can help us talk about the stuff too painful to open up about.
When we are grieving, there are moments of tears, and moments of laughter. Each is healing in their own special way, and are all part of the process.
This might not at first seem to apply to something as devastating as pregnancy loss, but one couple’s comedy video, and the overwhelming positive response that followed, suggest otherwise.
Husband and wife and content creator duo Alexandra Madison and Jon Bouffard are no strangers to creating funny skits about the regular goings on of their lives—one of their most popular being inspired by becoming pregnant.
In the clip, the couple arrives at “DINKS” (“Dual Income No Kids”) Headquarters, where they proudly hand off their resignation letter to a curmudgeonly office worker.
Cut to a few months later, and Madison and Bouffard lost the baby.
Madison told Today that while she and Jon had certainly experienced something “traumatic, heavy and sad,” there was a point in their healing journey where moments of joy were beginning to return, and they wanted to honor that without feeling guilty. They decided that making a lighthearted follow-up video showing them both might do the trick.
In the video, titled “When your resignation from being DINKS is denied,” Madison and Bouffard once again barge into the DINKS office and snatch up the application handed over in the previous video, since clearly that application was rejected. And as MAdison put it, “we don’t handle rejection very well.”
“We never thought we would be here making this follow-up to our first video resigning as DINKS, but here we are, “ Madison wrote in the video’s caption.
@alexandramadison_ We don’t handle rejection very well here 🙃 Jon and I have always posted skits inspired by what's going on in our lives, and that includes this one. We never thought we would be here making this 'follow-up' to our first video resigning as DINKs (Dual Income No Kids), but here we are. And that's life. Real life. There are ups and downs, and along the way, I've discovered that a little (sometimes dark) humor brings moments of relief. This post is a small part of that journey, a reminder that it's okay to give ourselves and each other permission to laugh again. We can’t thank you all enough for your continued outpouring of support. And to all the couples who had their DINK memberships renewed, did you turn your nursery into a wine cellar? We haven’t…just asking.
“And that’s life. Real life. There are ups and downs, and along the way, I’ve discovered that a little (Sometimes dark) humor brings moments of relief. This post is a small part of that journey, a reminder that it’s okay to give ourselves and each other permission to laugh again.”
The video picked up speed very quickly, racking up nearly 8 million views. But more importantly, it seemed to be extremely cathartic for other partners who found themselves in similar situations.
“We were denied twice before our application finally went through,” one peronse wrote.
Another added, “We were denied three times (3rd application denied late stage) before our application was accepted/ The granted application is currently sleeping in his bassinet.”
Still another commented, “dark humor is the only thing getting us by these days.”
Others were moved by Madison and Bouffard’s willingness to be so open about their experience.
“I laughed…and then I cried. Thank you for sharing your journey…all of it. This is a vulnerable place to be and you guys always show up amazingly.”
Another echoed, “God bless you both for not being silent about this matter but sharing these hard times with us. We love you very much.”
Madison and Bouffard might have been concerned that they were being “insensitive” by making their video, but the support they’ve received has subsided that fear. After all, many therapists consider humor as a perfectly viable coping mechanism for trauma. It helps make tough things easier to digest and discuss, and it can help painful experiences feel a little less lonely. Which is what this couple accomplished. Hopefully it continues to help them heal a little more each day.
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The changing room brought out a painful revelation. 
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