It is a painful aspect that parents occasionally lose their child to unfortunate incidents, cancer treatments, or other illnesses.
Grab some tissues before reading this story about 6 year old Leland Shoemake because it will take you on a heartbreaking journey.
Leland Shoemake, 6 years of age, was a typical Georgia boy from Williamson. Those who knew him will never forget his contagious joy, keen intellect, or creative energy.
“By the time he was a year old, he was familiar with his ABCs, numbers, colors, shapes, and 20 sight words. We adored the fact that he was our little nerd. He enjoyed learning and attending school.” His mother, Amber Shoemake, said on social media that ” He enjoyed documentaries, the history channel, the weather channel, and anything historical.”
If things had turned out differently, we might never have heard of him; nevertheless, Leland’s fate had other ideas.
Leland unexpectedly became ill in 2015, and he was quickly rushed to the hospital. The physicians soon discovered that he had a brain infection brought on by the amoeba Balamuthia mandrillaris as a result of his rapidly deteriorating health. Leland may have came into contact with the germs while playing outside, however no one was entirely sure how he contracted it.
“Playing in the dirt was the one thing he loved most,” Mrs. Shoemake stated on her Facebook post. She continued:
“I had no idea that could be something that would take him away from me.”
At first, doctors were baffled by Leland’s sickness and thought meningitis might be to blame. Further examination, however, revealed that he was really afflicted with an amebic infection in his brain.
His mother said on the family’s GoFundMe page, “He is having terrible headaches, fever, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, and right now his eyes become crossed and he cannot concentrate on anything without his eyes moving and seeing double.“
Leland put up a valiant fight, but on September 25, 2015, he lost the battle.
Waves of grief swept over his parents as they made their way home from the hospital where they had said their final goodbyes to their precious son. However, despite their intense sorrow, they couldn’t help but notice something on the family’s coffee table in the main room.
Leland, who was well known for his adorable hobby of leaving letters and drawings for his parents, had left one final, sincere message.
He drew a red heart with the words mom, dad, and love on it and wrote: “Stil (sic) with you… Thank you mom and dad… Love.”
The level of purpose and healing it must have provided the mourning parents during such a terrible period is almost beyond comprehension. In the midst of their tragic loss, Leland’s note offered a glimmer of comfort as a bittersweet remembrance of the love and bond they shared.
His mother commented, “We have no clue why he wrote it but you understand that he was always a special child.”
The entire message of the report from The Leland Shoemake Foundation is provided below for your convenience:
My name is Amber. For a time, I’ll only be posting this.
I tried my best to keep Leland safe and was overly protective of him. Playing in the dirt was his one and only favorite activity. I never thought that would be what separated me from him. He was my entire universe. He made me a mother. We fought hard to get him. He was born screaming and healthy despite being a premature. From the start, he was intelligent. By the time he was a year old, he was already familiar with his ABCs, numbers, colors, shapes, and 20 sight words. We adored the fact that he was our little nerd. He enjoyed learning and attending school.
He adored documentaries, the history channel, the weather channel, and everything historical. He liked learning about topics like WWII and ships like the Titanic. He was flawless. Jaws was a favorite film of his. He favored Steven Spielberg as a director. And Adam Sandler was his favorite actor. He had a great love for his brother and his family. He brought life to every gathering. A metropolis could be illuminated by his smile. He was the most intelligent, thoughtful, and kind youngster ever.
He had a chance to accomplish wonderful things in this world. If not for Leland, we wouldn’t have many friends in this county. He was kind to everyone and never encountered a stranger. This has been my one and only fear my entire life, and it came true. Never should a parent have to bury their child. I’ve always maintained that I hope I get to go first because I don’t think I’m strong enough to deal with this.
I still can’t believe it’s real.
I’m sitting here thinking back to things he’d say and movie quotations he’d recite. like “check ya later” in the movie puzzled and bewildered. Alternatively, Jaws’ “you’re going to have a bigger boat” line. Or any of the countless things he would quote from Billy Madison.
He was the heart of our family and the source of all of our happiness.
I am counting down the minutes till I can see his adorable face and hear his lovely voice once more.
This is the message we discovered from him on the coffee table in the living area when Tim and I returned home in order to retrieve him clothes to be buried in. Although we don’t know when he wrote it, it is clear that he was a remarkable kid from the start.
Leland, you have our undying affection. Don’t let the bed bugs bite while you sleep!
The most terrible situation parents can go through is burying their own child. Our aim is that we can keep telling Leland’s story and ensure he is never forgotten despite the unimaginable agony.
We should all enjoy each day of our life since we never know when circumstances may abruptly change. Let’s remember him for the great little guy he was.