My cousin Cameron recently passed away. Although he’s been sick for a long time, it was still unexpected. Any help you’d be willing to offer would be greatly appreciated by my family.

Cameron was born on April 15th, 1989 to my Aunt Sharon. At just ten months old, poor little Cam had his first seizure. Soon after, he was diagnosed with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, a seizure disorder caused by brain damage that affected him throughout his life. Unfortunately, Cameron had a hard life where he was never able to walk, talk, run, or play like you and I could. Despite his handicap, Cameron was a very happy little boy. He’d laugh and make noises, enjoyed music, loved food, and LOVED watching Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune everyday at 7 o’clock. Cameron also enjoyed going to school and day programs, going for walks with his mom and dad in his wheelchair, shopping malls, and being out in nature.

Within the last 15 years or so, Cameron’s conditioned worsened. He would catch pneumonia very often, and ended up having to be placed in a skilled nursing facility where he lived with a tracheostomy to breathe for him, and be fed via g-tube. Despite this, Cameron still held on to and enjoyed life at the skilled nursing facility.

My aunt Sharon took care of Cameron all 35 years of his life. Cameron couldn’t have been born to a more patient, determined, or loving mother. For the majority of Cameron’s life, Sharon was at home taking care of him every single day selflessly. Even when he went to live at the skilled nursing facility, Sharon got a job there to make sure he was being properly taken care of. Any time he would get sick and stay in the hospital, Sharon was at his side 24/7. Sharon’s love for her boy is what kept him alive and thriving for these last 35 years.

On August 5th, at 3:49 am, Cameron passed away peacefully surrounded by his family at Loma Linda University Hospital. He will be remembered and loved for eternity by his mother Sharon, aunts Paulette, Veronica, and Karen, uncles Philip and Dennis, and cousins Shannon and Kaitlin, and the rest of the Laprise family.

Anyone that has ever met my cousin knows what a joy he was to be around. Even during the hardest moments, Cameron always seemed to have a smile on his face.

May he finally rest painlessly and peacefully.