#RedBalloonsForRyan

Last night and into this morning I have been grieving the loss of a little red haired boy I did not know. I had never heard of his mother Jacqui, who blogs at Baby Boy Bakery, until yesterday afternoon when I was browsing my Instagram feed. As I saw pictures of her beautiful little boy and read the captions my eyes filled with tears. I clicked the link (here) to read the whole story behind this outpouring of support on social media and it touched me so deeply that I could not stifle the tears.

I do not have children, so I cannot possibly fully understand what this family is going through. My heart hurts for them and my thoughts and prayers go out to them and their family during this tragic time. Alissa, who posted the story for Jacqui, said it best:

...they need, our support.They need us to rally
They needs us to pray
to share
to love
to remember…
….. Ryan.

Take some time out from your day to spread this little boys story and make sure he is not forgotten. Take a picture from Jacqui's instagram feed and post it to your own Twitter, Facebook and Instagram account with the #RedBalloonsForRyan hashtag and be sure to tag Jacqui @babyboybakery and her husband Dan @danno12. Let them know we are all here to support them.

Ryan's story is a tragic realization that anything can be taken from you in the blink of an eye. No parent should have to lose their child, especially one so young. We need to cherish the people that are important to us, hold them, kiss them, tell them you love them. Don't waste another minute being upset over trivial things. Enjoy your life and the time you have left with your loved ones.

Rest in Peace ~ Ryan Cruz Saldana ~ 05-02-2014