Hello! Hey, it’s Me.

Sorrowful

My oldest friend Heather called yesterday to tell me that her nephew passed away.  Dallin would have turned three in August.  Andrea, Heather’s sister, was like a little sister to me for many years; I spent many weeks and weekends “vacationing” at their family’s home in Virginia after my family moved to North Carolina.  Andrea was always a lot like me - a fiery streak and a little rough around the edges, but lots of fun Fun FUN!  She’s softened up quite a bit since getting married almost four years ago and Dallin’s birth three years ago.

Dallin was a very special child.  He had a rare medical condition that is almost one-of-a-kind.  He was doing great!  He had hit several major milestones in the last few months and was really progressing.  His death was a complete shock.

My heart is with Andrea and James and their extended family right now.  They live in the metro-Atlanta area, so I hadn’t seen Andrea in years and never had the pleasure of meeting little Dallin.  I can’t imagine the journey her heart is taking right now and the multiple directions of her grief.  The cause of death is a bit up in the air right now, but at last conversation, Heather said they believe Dallin aspirated while sleeping in the late-morning hours.  James found him lifeless when going in to wake him Saturday morning.

Andrea and James have completed the paperwork to adopt a second child.  I’m sure adding a second child to their lives would be both a heartache and a blessing.  My heart and my thoughts are with the family in their time of grief and I wish them a swift period of healing.  Andrea and James have been such wonderful parents to Dallin and I feel confident they will share their open-armed parenting with other children as time passes.