For 12 years Sara Porter came to Bermuda from New York to visit her older brother and his family.

She would make the trips first with her parents and brothers and then with her husband, Dominic Gillette.

Eventually, the couple would take their children.

She had her third son on March 8. Five days later, she died of a rare bacterial infection in Mount Sinai West, the Manhattan hospital where she gave birth.

This year, her husband took the annual trip without her.

“Sara’s passing created so many holes in our lives,” said her husband, who arrived in Bermuda on July 1 with Mateo, 5, Luca, 2, and four-month-old Jonas.

It would have been Sara’s 40th birthday.

Among the many things he’s had to overcome is how to feed a healthy and hungry baby while the family made its annual trip.

He relies on a “generous” community of women in Brooklyn, who have been donating breast milk since Jonas left the hospital. They will continue until he turns one.

“We knew that Sara would want Jonas to be breastfed like Mateo and Luca,” he said.

“It was hard enough emotionally to plan the trip without Sara but I just didn’t know how to get milk to feed Jonas while in Bermuda.

“I asked my sister-in-law Jennifer, [Johnson-Porter] who lives in Bermuda, if there is a community of woman who can donate breast milk?”

The answer was yes.

Beth Hollis, physiotherapist at Ocean Rock Wellness, donated the first batch of breast milk and continued to pump and donate throughout the two-week visit.

Lotus owner Sophia Cannonier and Rolisa Camille were able to fill the gaps.

“[They] responded to the need with empathy and great speed,” said Ms Johnson-Porter, who is married to Sara’s brother, Rick Porter.

“Rolisa reached out to the community of mothers and had an overwhelming response to help. On their day off, Rolisa and her mother drove all over the island picking up the breast milk from the donors and then delivering it to Sara’s family.

She said the family wish to thank “these wonderful women” — Beth Hollis, Christine Berwick, Tseda Simmons, and Sacha Mancell.

“Bermuda is a beautiful place to visit but the warmth and generosity of these woman has been very heartening. It’s just amazing to think how good people can help us overcome tragic circumstances,” said Mr Gillette.

“The response has been simply overwhelming,” added his sister-in-law. “It’s Bermuda at its best. A tight-knit community taking care of each other and visitors.”

Ms Johnson-Porter and Ms Camille had never crossed paths before the donations. Her GP, Heather Montgomery, suggested she call Sophia Cannonier, a certified doula and midwife assistant.

Ms Camille, manager at Lotus, answered the phone.

“There are some calls that are hard to make but you just make them,” said Ms Johnson-Porter.

“It’s a hard ask. If you’re not in the mindset to donate your breast milk you might not be open to it.”

She said the rest was easy.

“It was a matter of making sure that people knew I still needed the milk. As long as I still needed the milk they were still pumping.”

Ms Hollis would e-mail her when she had stocked the freezer and she would collect it from her office at Ocean Rock Wellness.

“With Rolisa it was a little more involved,” she explained. “She put the word out on the mama market from her Facebook page.”

The response was big.

“I was able to pick up 50 ounces after her first initial ask of the community. It was amazing. It was quick, efficient, heartfelt,” Ms Johnson-Porter told Lifestyle.

They hope her legacy will lead to a dedicated breast milk bank on the island.

“We’re not quite there yet with how to make that happen, but that’s something we can work on this summer and hopefully get started in the fall,” she said.

“I don’t know who these women are. They have no vested interest but to help him. It’s amazing that two countries were feeding this baby.

“Sara would have been so happy and receptive to that.

“It doesn’t matter who they are, it’s the fact that they stepped up and did it.”

Mr Gillette added: “Sara and I always found Bermuda a warm and welcoming place to vacation and always loved how friendly the Bermudian people are.

“I never thought in a million years my boy would need to rely on Bermuda for donated breast milk but it’s so amazing that we can.”

• Visit https://www.gofundme.com/in-loving-memory-of-sara-porter