'I want to see what my daughter would have looked like without tubes': Reddit to the rescue after grieving father's plea for someone to Photoshop his daughter's picture after she passes

A father whose baby passed away at six-weeks old had one simple request: A portrait of his daughter, Sophia, without hospital tubes attached to her tiny body.



Nathen Steffel, from Ohio, posted his plea on Reddit last Thursday and received an overwhelming response, with commenters submitting retouched photos and sketches of Sophia.

'My daughter recently passed away after a long battle in the children's hospital,' the father-of-two wrote. 'Since she was in the hospital her whole life, we never were able to get a photo without all her tubes. Can someone remove the tubes from this photo?'

Nathen Steffel, from Ohio, had one simple request after his daughter, Sophia, passed away at just six weeks old: A portrait of her without hospital tubes attached to her tiny body

After a few days, Mr Steffel received 'a whole lot of love and support from complete strangers,' he told Today.





Sophia was born May 30 at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus , and died from complications from a hepatic hemangioma, a liver tumor, at just six weeks old.

After she was born, Sophia was moved to Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, which has a team of liver surgeons and experts.

Mr Steffel posted his plea on Reddit last Thursday and received an overwhelming response, with commenters submitting retouched photos and even drawings for the grieving father

'My wife and I were so grateful so many people took the time out of their own lives to either send a nice message of sympathy or an awesome drawing. They couldn't have made this father any happier,' he said

Sophia was born May 30 at Nationwide Children¿s Hospital in Columbus, and died from complications from a hepatic hemangioma, a liver tumor, at just six weeks old

On her one-month birthday, Sophia's mom, Emily, updated family and friends on Facebook, writing: 'She has sure had her ups & downs but she has come a long way and we are soooooo proud of her.'



Sophia was on a waiting list for a liver when she passed away July 10, Mr Steffel, who has two sons with Emily, explained on Reddit.

Many commenters answered Mr Steffel 's plea, submitting retouched photos of wide-eyed Sophia .



Mr Steffel pictured with his newborn daughter Sophia

On her one-month birthday, Sophia mom, Emily, updated family and friends on Facebook, writing: 'She has sure had her ups & downs but she has come a long way and we are soooooo proud of her'

The Steffel family at Nationwide Children¿s Hospital in Columbus, before Sophia was moved to Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center

'I was overwhelmed with the response I got,' he said.

'My wife and I were so grateful so many people took the time out of their own lives to either send a nice message of sympathy or an awesome drawing. They couldn't have made this father any happier.'

It seemed the Reddit community was happy to help. 'I couldn't sleep without at least trying,' one wrote.

Mrs Steffel pregnant with Sophia, her third child

Mrs and Mr Steffel married in March 2013 after nearly nine years together - they met at a football football where Mrs Steffel was playing in the band