Helping friends deal with ultimate tragedy

I hope everyone takes the time to read this through. My colleague and friend and his family on Tuesday suffered the worst loss a person can have. They lost their son to senseless violence. Just a young man, barely a man, mostly still a boy, stood up for a friend at McDonald's and was brutally stabbed and killed. He was murdered. It is tough to even type those words and I can't believe that this is hitting so close to my sheltered home. But the reality is the world is changing and people are losing respect for each other and the value of life itself. 

Nothing can bring back my friend's son. His older brother will live the rest of his life knowing that his little brother is gone. His younger sister will grow up without one of her brothers who absolutely adored her. And my friend and his wife will do the one thing that we are not built for: They will bury their own child this week. 

It is absolutely wrong. And no amount of money can bring him back. But we can show them that there are many people in the world who care about them and about life and how much it should be valued. For years my friend would work five, six, or even seven days a week to support his family. He never once splurged on himself when he could help provide for his wife and kids. Let's show them that there is good in the world and a reason for hope and help these people today. I don't care if they use the money to go away for a week and just try to forget. Or if they put the money in a college fund for their daughter. Or anything else. I just want them to know that there are people out there who may not even know them, who feel horrible for them and would give any amount to help ease their pain.