After her 6-year-old son passed away from a brain infection, a bereaved mother discovered the heartfelt note her 6-year-old son left for her and her husband.
Leland Shoemake died on September 25. 2015, after a month-long battle with an amoebic infection. His mother, Amber, shared the note she found on the Prayers for Leland Facebook page where she revealed how she discovered it.
“I never imagined that would be the thing that would take him from me. He was my world. He made me a mother,” she began in part.
“He was smart from day one. He knew his abc’s, numbers, colors, shapes, and 20 sight words by the time he was a year old. He was our little nerd and we loved that about him. He loved school and loved to learn. He loved the history channel, the weather channel, documentaries, and anything about history.”
She also shared the boy’s favorite movies, director, and actor.
“He loved ships like the titanic and learning about things like WWII. He was perfect. His favorite movie was jaws. His favorite director was Steven Spielberg. And his favorite actor was Adam Sandler. He loved his brother and his family so much. He was the life of every party. His smile could light up a city. He was the smartest, most caring, loving little boy there ever was.”
The loving mother went on to depict him as the glue in their family.
“He was the light of our life and the center of this family. I count the days until I can see his sweet face again and hear that beautiful voice,” she shared in part.
“When Tim and I came home for the first time to get him clothes to be buried in, this is the note we found from him on the table in the living room,” she wrote. Amber continued on, wishing her child well and to not “let the bed bugs bite.”
“We have no idea when he wrote it but you can tell he was always a special child. We will love you forever Leland. Sleep tight and don’t let the bed bugs bite!”
It is not clear how Leland contracted the lethal amoeba, per WSB-TV. He had been sick for a month and then entered the hospital two weeks ago.
His parents launched a GoFundMe page to help raise money for the hospital costs. And while their original goal was $10,000, the family raised over $15,000. “We are so grateful and overwhelmed by the love and support of everyone. Leland was a true blessing,” Leland’s parents wrote on the GoFundMe page after died.
“Our lives revolved around him day and night. Everything is still a blur and still doesn’t seem like reality. We are making it somehow. Thank you for everything. And we love each and every one of you.”
In addition, the family started a scholarship which is given out “each year to one Pike County High School student in honor of six-year-old Leland Shoemake.”