Thursday, May 8, 2014

Red Balloons for Ryan

I am crying for a family I have never met, and didn't even know about until today.

This morning while reading a blog I follow, I learned of the death of a toddler named Ryan. This small boy died in an accident last Friday. His mother Jacqui's blog, Baby Boy Bakery, is full of pictures and writing about Ryan.

Even without ever having met Ryan, I can tell by his mother's beautiful blog that he was a sweet and very beloved boy. I cannot fathom the pain of this loss. The blogging community grieves, and a page has been set up at Thrive Moms for donations to support the family. Through social media, we can show them how much we care.




Ryan's favorite color was red and he loved balloons.
Apparently Ryan loved the color red and balloons. A Facebook page (#RedBalloonsForRyan) is encouraging people to release red balloons on Sunday in support of Jacqui. The sky is likely to be crowded with love and support for Ryan's family. (To be environmentally friendly, it has been suggested by some people to release the balloons only figuratively.)

After mentioning Mother's Day on my blog several times this week, I began to worry that I have been insensitive. It is a day to celebrate having mothers and being mothers. Like any holiday though, it can be painful reminder of disappointment and loss. For anyone who experiences it this way - and especially Jacqui - I wish you peace this Sunday.  

8 comments :

  1. That's so sad. It's extremely kind of you to bring attention to it, though.

    And as I was leaving this comment, I just noticed your Liebster Award widget on the right. Well, I've nominated you again, so if you'd like to check out my questions, here's my entry - http://randomandcrafty.blogspot.com/2014/05/liebster-award-nomination.html

    Since you've already done it, I won't add any pressure to carry through with mine!

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    1. I am so honored to be nominated again for the Liebster Award, Emillie. Thank you so much!
      I also nominated a few blogs that I failed to realize had already received the award. It's probably best I don't answer your questions for your nominees, as my readers may be tired of hearing so many facts about me! I will mention this in my blog post tomorrow though, and provide a link to your website. I love the concept behind the purpose of the award - an opportunity for new bloggers to connect and help other's blogs grow. With the mention of your link, hopefully you will get some benefit from nominating “the most - - of every moment” :)

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  2. So incredibly sad. I don't think you can be a mom and read about that story and not feel it very deeply. I wrote a pretty light mother's day post, but I agree that we should all keep in mind the many many people who have a hard time at Mother's Day for one reason or another.

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  3. Your blog is beautiful, and I don't think you could ever be insensitive :) I'm just so sad for this poor family, and I'm amazed and pleased at the outpouring of love that we've seen on social media. It restores a little faith in humanity!

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    1. Thanks Lana. Social media gets a (sometimes deserved) bad reputation, but this is an example of how it can be used for good.

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  4. This story has made me feel so sad for the loss of this beautiful little boy. I have been touched to see the outpouring of love for this family.

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    1. I have been so impressed to realize that bloggers are a very caring group of people.

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