Maryland woman crochets nests for orphaned Florida wildlife in memory of late daughter

Sara Hayden is crocheting handmade nests for orphaned and abandoned baby animals to support the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW) in Florida, a nonprofit where her late daughter, Kyla Love Hayden, volunteered briefly in 2023.

Kyla, a Florida Gulf Coast University senior studying political science, unexpectedly died in 2024. She would have been celebrating her 24th birthday on June 10, 2026.

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At CROW, Kyla had been training to be a first responder, learning how to answer phone calls from community members seeking advice or help after finding an animal in need. First responders educate, arrange volunteers for rescues, and ensure each animal is entered into CROW’s database.

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When Sara read about the handcrafted baby nests, she paused. She had recently taken up crocheting as a hobby to help her heal and relax. The nest project seemed like it was meant for her. CROW uses handmade nests daily to support baby birds and small mammals during feeding, recovery, and growth.

“Doing things with meaning is what brings me peace and healing out of her loss,” Sara said. “It is nice to have a nest for CROW’s baby animals, and it helps me, too.”

CROW has reached capacity and is no longer accepting handmade nests in 2026.