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On February 17, 2005 our lives changed forever. Our two year old son, Riley had been napping during the afternoon as we all had been feeling under the weather that week. He slept through dinner and into the evening as the other boys got ready for bed. My husband, John, went upstairs to check on him and found Riley with his face white and lips blue – he was not breathing and his heart had stopped. We immediately called 911 and started CPR until the paramedics arrived. They were able to revive him and rushed him to Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital.
For three days, countless doctors performed test after test to determine why this had happened to our precious son. We watched in horror as further tests declared that he was brain dead and there was no hope for survival. On Sunday, February 20, 2005, Riley’s death left a hole in our hearts and a constant question in our minds as to why this happened to our beautiful son.
Riley was such a smart, happy, adventurous two-year old who brought so much joy to everyone who knew him. He was the fourth in line of four boys and kept everyone on their toes. He is terribly missed by his three older brothers.
To this day, the cause of Riley’s death is still unknown. We have received great support from the Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC) organization. The parents we have met through SUDC understand our pain because they also are seeking answers as to why they suddenly lost their own children.
While the SUDC Program is making progress, much work remains to promote awareness and fund research so that we can discover the cause and ultimately allow for the prevention of SUDC. Doctors researching SIDS have extended their study to include older children who have experienced similar phenomenon.
Click Here to view Riley's Photo Album
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