Celebration of Life John Warren Mahlke
As parents, there is no other day more dreaded than what the Mahlke’s experience on Saturday. Sarah Mahlke and Patrick Mahlke said goodbye to their beautiful baby boy John Warren Mahlke (age 2) and sent him up to heaven where he will watch over them for a lifetime. A simple outing on a gorgeous weekend morning turned into a nightmare that was unimaginable for this beautiful family.
Sarah and Pat, headed to Arizona to attend spring training because John Warren showed joy and love for baseball. They had planned this to be the beginning of a long family tradition.On Saturday morning the family, along with their close friend, went to have breakfast and that is when their worst nightmare became a reality. While waiting for a table at the restaurant, John Warren was met with a tragic accident when a car lost control and drove over the curb, hitting him unexpectedly. Attempts to resuscitate him by bystanders and medical crew were unsuccessful. John Warren was in heaven.
Never is a parent ready for this day. The added logistics related to bringing John Warren to his home in San Pedro from Arizona have made things even more difficult—with the red tape of transporting John back home. When I spoke to Sarah on Saturday she said all she wanted was to be home and take her son with her.
Sarah is a beacon of light. Everyone who knows her knows that—she is quite literally a ray of sunshine. I know now, that her John Warren will be her guiding light and will shine down on her and Pat for a lifetime.
The Iacono and Mahlke families have a long road of healing ahead of them. Please keep them in your hearts and prayers while they mourn this immeasurable loss. Please be generous and know that every cent counts. This family deserves have their loads-lessened and their son laid in peace without the worry of money.
John Warren—your family loved you BIG and loved you with unmatched intensity. You will be missed. Shine bright for your parents—you will always be in their hearts.
As requested by the GoFundMe team:
My name is Yassaman Kermanj, I am not only Sarah's coworker, but her friend. To say that we have been through thick and thin is a complete understatement. We spend more time together than we do with our family and this was the only way I knew I could help. Thank you to everyone for the outpouring of love, they feel it, they see it and they are overwhelmingly appreciative.
Sarah and Pat will be utilizing these funds to help with taking John Warren home to California from Arizona (moving him across state lines involves a great deal of red tape), buying their family burial plot so that they are all together (an unimaginable thought), and funeral expenses.
I have spoken to Sarah throughout this incredibly difficult time and once she arrives home in the next couple of days, I will go to see her and we will follow the outlined steps to make her the beneficiary of this GoFundMe campaign, as she will be withdrawing the funds.
