Patterico's Pontifications

5/2/2012

Baby Avery’s Bucket List

Filed under: General — Patterico @ 7:09 am



If you’re looking for something uplifting (though sad), check out Baby Avery’s Bucket List. She was born with SMA (spinal muscular atrophy) and given only months to live. As described at the Daily Mail:

Her father Mike had chronicled his daughter’s life in a blog, writing in her voice about all the things she wanted to do before she died, including wearing a big bow and going to a tea party.

. . . .

The initial bucket list included several childhood milestones, such as going swimming, going on a road trip, sit on daddy’s shoulders, have a birthday party, and stay up past my bedtime watching TV with mommy and daddy.

If you go to the blog, you’ll see it became something of a sensation, and her “bucket list” grew and grew.

There will be no more additions to the list. She died two days ago. But the parents’ love of their daughter and of life shines through. Worth a visit.

14 Responses to “Baby Avery’s Bucket List”

  1. My thoughts and prayers are with you. What a precious little angel Avery is. She will always be with you.

    Jo (bfc196) — 5/2/2012 @ 7:27 am

  2. Ibid.

    ahhhh (ef41ef) — 5/2/2012 @ 10:23 am

  3. What a precious child, and I admire her parents’ selfless and positive attitude in the face of so much heartache. I hope it helps them that Avery is making a huge difference, not only in the lives of her family, friends and neighbors, but also for all who suffer because of SMA:

    Just a quick update to one of Avery’s last Bucket List goals…

    An anonymous donor will match every dollar donated up to $500,000 to help bring Dr. Kaspar’s SMA Gene Therapy program out of the lab and into her SMA friends. Dr. Kaspar’s SMA Gene Therapy could cure Avery’s friends or at the very least offer advancements towards a cure for them.

    Click here to help Avery raise $1,000,000 towards Dr. Kaspar’s SMA Gene Therapy through Sophia’s Cure which is a non-profit organization so all donations are tax deductible.

    Once that goal has been achieved, Avery asks that all future monetary donations be made in her name to Fight SMA (http://www.fightsma.org).

    DRJ (a83b8b) — 5/2/2012 @ 11:16 am

  4. That huge smile on Avery’s face proves that her life, no matter how short and difficult, was worth living. Bless her parents for the gifts they gave her (and us).

    Thanks for posting this Patterico.

    elissa (644c73) — 5/2/2012 @ 11:26 am

  5. I have tried about ten times since yesterday to read that blog, and I still can’t get through about 30 seconds before I’m bawling my eyes out. As the father of a baby girl myself, it’s just too sad to even read.

    radar (257ad5) — 5/2/2012 @ 12:48 pm

  6. “We are all born pure & innocent. We can let the world change us, or we can change the world.”
    -My Daddy-

    Yeah, it really is an emotional roller coaster. Uplifting, yet deeply saddening.

    Noodles (3681c4) — 5/2/2012 @ 2:17 pm

  7. Good God, that is beautiful.

    JD (2585aa) — 5/2/2012 @ 2:33 pm

  8. Seeing this, and reading about the research, reminds me that nothing I do at work is terribly important. So at least I can donate to the research program, in her name.

    Simon Jester (c8876d) — 5/2/2012 @ 2:58 pm

  9. I wish I could say I would show such love, dedication and dignity under the same circumstances. Amazing.

    Robert C. J. Parry (bfe21a) — 5/2/2012 @ 5:58 pm

  10. Such is the great gift of love. It breaks the heart as it makes it whole and full and knowing.

    This post puts all the cares of my little world back in their correct place.

    Dana (4eca6e) — 5/2/2012 @ 6:15 pm

  11. I know we don’t always have time to read all the links but if possible, please take the time to watch this video. These are amazing parents.

    DRJ (a83b8b) — 5/2/2012 @ 6:24 pm

  12. Yes, they are.

    JD (2585aa) — 5/2/2012 @ 6:51 pm

  13. Heartbreaking.

    Elephant Stone (0ae97d) — 5/2/2012 @ 8:11 pm

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    bushen (964acf) — 5/4/2012 @ 9:31 pm


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