Influencer Ashley Stock Welcomes Baby Daughter Benny May After Heartbreaking Loss

4 July 2025

Influencer Ashley Stock has welcomed a baby girl five years after the tragic death at age 3 of her older daughter, Stevie.@littlemissmomma via Instagram

Influencer and parenting blogger Ashley Stock has welcomed her daughter, Benny May Stock, via surrogate on June 30, five years after the devastating loss of her three-year-old daughter Stevie to brain cancer. Ashley shared the joyous news with her followers on Instagram, describing her newborn as beautiful, fierce, cuddly, and tiny, exclaiming that the baby “smells like heaven” and an overwhelming surge of love filled their home. She thanked their surrogate, Nicole, for the gift of life and expressing profound gratitude for this new chapter in their story.

Born at 36 weeks, Benny May arrived with some health concerns, jaundice and suspected hereditary spherocytosis, a red blood cell disorder passed down from her father, Ben Stock but is currently receiving excellent care in the NICU. Ashley reassured her community that Benny is thriving under the supervision of a dedicated medical team. In heartwarming moments shared on social media, Ashley captured tender skin-to-skin time with her newborn, a milestone she described as exactly what both mother and daughter needed. She also documented Benny’s first interactions with her older brothers, Wesley and Sawyer, further emphasizing the unity and love that defines their expanding family.

This arrival comes with profound emotional resonance for Ashley and her husband, Ben, who in May 2020 experienced the unimaginable loss of their daughter Stevie. Diagnosed with diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma or DIPG a rare and incurable brain tumor, Stevie’s diagnosis and passing marked one of the darkest moments in the couple’s journey. Ashley’s painful yet eloquent Instagram reflections at the time conveyed the depth of their grief, likening her mourning to gently twisting off the lid of a soda bottle, releasing sorrow incrementally to avoid being consumed by it.

Through the years, Ashley has been transparent about the complex nature of grief and healing, often describing the way faith, community support, and everyday hope helped sustain her. She wrote that while faith does not erase pain, it offers structure and solace through the relentless process of healing. This openness transformed her platform into a space not only for parenting insights but also for emotional authenticity allowing her to connect deeply with hundreds of thousands navigating loss, love, and resilience.

Benny May’s arrival signals both a profound blessing and a brave step forward for this resilient family. Their choice to journey through surrogacy speaks to hope and practical care, honoring their path as parents. The joy evident in their public expression suggests readiness to embrace this new season with all of its wonder and inevitable responsibilities.

In sharing Benny May’s first days, Ashley also honored the complexity of healing. She described her tears in the NICU not just as tears of joy but also of gratitude for Benny’s strength, for their family’s perseverance, and for the medical team supporting them. She noted that Beno’s stint in the NICU, likely lasting about a week due to her jaundice and potential blood disorder, represents a fresh beginning for the Stock family.

The arrival of their daughter also offers a poignant moment of reflection on loss and renewal. Fiercely mindful of their history with Stevie, the Stocks seem determined to celebrate Benny with intention, anchoring her in love without erasing the memory of the child they lost. As Ashley wrote after Stevie’s death, the family continues "one day at a time, held by the grace of God, the support of loved ones and the prayers of strangers who have become friends". In many ways, Benny May’s birth is a living testament to that gentle faith in small miracles.

This story reaches far beyond one family. It resonates with audiences who understand that grief and joy are not opposites but often tangled companions. Through her blend of candid storytelling and intimate updates, Ashley has remained a trusted voice a parenting influencer who does not shy away from darkness but celebrates light when it finally arrives.

Ashley’s journey with Benny May arrives at a crucial moment. It reminds families everywhere that life can offer second chances and that creating space for joy does not diminish the grief that came before. By embracing both pain and hope, the Stock family exemplifies a path of resilience a model for healing that includes remembrance, renewal, and unwavering love.