A Prayer for Parker

Do you know what it’s like to have your world shattered in the matter of a second; by just one simple phone call. My family knows what that feels like now, and my prayer is that you never get that phone call.   My four year old nephew was taken from us two nights ago, it’s a nightmare that we can’t wake up from. Parker was playing outside with his big brother and a friend, enjoying the summer sun without a worry in the world. It happened so fast, in a matter of a seconds when parker was running with his brother and bolted out between two cars to try and catch him. My sister and her partner responded immediately by calling 911, she didn’t know that the last few minutes of his life would be spent lying with him on the pavement trying to comfort him as he struggled to breathe.  My sister pleaded for him to hold on but god had other plans. 

Emergency respondents acted quickly and they tried for over an hour to resuscitate our sweet baby boy, but were unsuccessful due to the severity of his injuries. Parker was pronounced dead shortly after his arrival at the hospital. My sister rocked his lifeless body for hours devastated and in shock, sobbing hysterically because all she wanted to do was bring her baby home.

An event like this is unimaginable. What do you say to a mother and father who has just lost their pride and joy? How do you comfort someone who has just lost their baby boy; someone who’s life has been turned upside down and in the matter of a second. I can’t even begin to imagine or understand what they are going through. The pain, anguish, guilt, and sorrow is eating them up…all they can do is cling to the only son they have left, trying to hold back tears and explain to Cohen why Parker isn’t coming home. 

As I sit here and write this I can’t believe it is real.  That news report saying our sweet superhero is gone, it can’t be my nephew, our little monkey. I’m still praying this is all a bad dream, I’m hoping that any minute I will wake up and this will all be nothing more than a horrible nightmare. 

The reality is that this time my wish won’t come true, your worst nightmare is our families reality. All I want to do is take Page and Joe’s pain away but I can’t, nobody can.  All that we can do is be there, hold them, and hug them… Beg them to sleep or simply eat.  We have all travelled from Ontario and BC to be with them and plan to stay for as long as we possibly can to help them through this devastating tragedy. 

Thank you for reading this.  Please I beg you…Hug your child tonight, put down your phone, turn off your TV.  I know my sister and Joe would give anything to give Parker one last kiss.  Parkers parents loved their boys, they are their life, they are the reason they exist. Everything they have done and continues to do is for them. They have never asked for help but they have always offered to help others. Our family will try as much as we can to help but you never expect to have to pay for a funeral, They didn’t budget to bury their little boy.  Can you help us?  Your thoughts, prayers, and shares would mean the world to our family.  I don’t know how we will get her through this tough time financially.

I created this Go Fund Me page to help pay for Parkers funeral, the funds will be put towards the ceremony, the burial fees, and anything else needed. The funeral costs are expected to be approximately 8-10k and to raise even a sliver of those funds would mean the world to our family. I want my sister and Joe to be able to heal and spend time with the son they have left and not worry about how they will pay for food next week. I want them to be able to take the time they need to mourn the loss of their son, their baby boy.  

The hardest part of losing someone, isn’t having to say goodbye, but rather learning to live without them. Always trying to fill the void, the emptiness that’s left inside your heart when they go. These next few weeks, even months are going to be difficult for them. So please even if you don’t have the resources to donate money, at very least share this story for us. Imagine this was someone in your family; would you help them? I’m asking for help because I know Page and Joe won’t… and I know they would be the first person to help if the tables were turned.

We appreciate everything everyone has already done, and continues to do. The love and support that their friends, family and co-workers have shown is amazing 

When a child is lost, the family is not the only ones who suffer, the whole community does. I am asking you, my friends, & the community, can you help us get through this devastating time.  Thank you for your prayers, your hugs and your kind words. 

We Love You Parker & miss you dearly   <3