This is a special edition of the Blogger Weekend Link-Up, for my friend Kate. Last week she lost her beautiful son Gavin, a five-year-old with cerebral palsy and many special powers. The outpouring of prayers, love and support on her blog, Chasing Rainbows, and Facebook page has been remarkable.
Kate was asking me about posts that have been written about Gavin; she knows there are many. It will be really helpful for her to have a list of them assembled in one spot. So please, if you've written a post about Gavin and Kate, link it here. If you've read a post about Gavin and Kate, link it here.
This link-up is only for posts about Kate and Gavin.
What to do
Scroll all the way down to the bottom of this post. Where it says "Your name" put the name of the blog followed by the title of the post (or just the name of the post, if there's no room—you get 80 characters).
Where it says "Your URL" put the direct link to the post.
Click "Enter," leave a comment if you want to say more, then go read some powerful posts.
What else to do
Keep honoring Gavin with Kate's pay-it-forward birthday wish for people to do a good deed for someone, and share it on her Facebook page.
I have been so touched by Gavin's story and did make mention of it in my most recent blog post. Not worthy enough for a place in your blog link-up as it was only a brief mention. But I look forward to reading the posts of others. What a beautiful family and a loss that no family should have to endure. Thanks for making the link up. Great idea. Dianne
ReplyDeleteThis is such a wonderful idea, Ellen! <3
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea Ellen - thanks for linking me up. Please give Kate a big hug from all of us who can't make it to the funeral next week and let her know we will be thinking of her and the family all day.
ReplyDeleteEllen, Thank you for this and for all the support you have given to Kate on 'our' behalf. I have written two posts that mention Gavin, so I've put them both in. My baby is 24 now - we've nearly lost him so many, many times. In 2004, he was declared palliative and the doctor said my boy likely had two months to live. He is still with us. When I read stories like Kate's, it's like a major surgical wound has come apart in my chest - it was stitched up poorly in the first place. RIP dear little Gavin.
ReplyDeleteMuch love Kate's way. She and her family have been in my thoughts and prayers. And thank you, Ellen, for this and for being a link between our communities.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your beautiful posts and this wonderful idea, Ellen! xo
ReplyDeleteThanks for helping keep us all connected. Our hearts have been breaking for Kate, Ed, and Brian. My heart breaks every time I read one of her updates. Gavin will be missed but never forgotten. It is amazing to see how many lives he's touched and continues to do so from heaven!
ReplyDeleteI am really looking forward to reading the posts this weekend. Gavin's life and Kate have had a huge impact on me and my heart is so broken over his loss. I posted a blog button "Gavin Lives On" that anyone can grab to put on their site that will link back to Kate's site. This way any readers who come to our sites can click to go to Kate's site and be able to learn about Gavin's amazing life. I think it would be so awesome if blogs all across the internet had a "Gavin Lives On" button permanently on their sites to be a part of him living on and getting his story out.
ReplyDeleteI loved the idea of a "grab" button for Gavin (#30 ) and have posted one on the sidebar of my blog.
ReplyDeletesorry, just realized it was #28 who was offering up the grab buttons. whoops.
DeleteOops now its on their three times. Thank you for grabbing a button. Ellen, I'm so sorry my link is up there three times, the first one didn't work so I tried linking it again, Is there a way to delete the non working one?
Delete28 is the one that doesn't work.
DeleteOh good now 28 works : )
DeleteWhat a great idea, Ellen. I posted the link to The Pink Roller Coaster (#31), about donating to my cousin's special needs classroom in honor of sweet, sweet Gavin. She sent me a note yesterday saying her students were so moved by Gavin's story that they decided to pay it forward by making birthday cards & buying books for another young man with special needs. It makes my heart so happy to see all this love spreading. -Brigid
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad to be able to read all these posts. Gavin and his family have been in my heart and mind this week, and will continue to be. I''m so sorry for this great loss and so impressed by Gavin's family.
ReplyDeleteThank you to whomever posted a link to the post I wrote on Gavin (#3 above)...I'm touched that you found it worthy of sharing! The continuing outpour of support for the Leong family is a true testament to the power of online communities <3
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for this! The Leong family has touched me tremendously all week since learning about them. I've been following, crying, and letting everyone know about their story! I appreciate linking my post in honor of Gavin and the Leong's!
ReplyDeleteJessica
The Wondering Brain
I found Chasing Rainbows just as sweet little Gavin died. Even though I've read just a few posts, Kate and Gavin weigh heavy in my head and heart. I'm honored to have "met" them, no matter how dire the circumstances, and I look forward to following the family's exceptional journey going forward. Thank you for the opportunity to link to a post that includes the Leong family.
ReplyDeleteThank you for doing this. I have been a Kate follower for some time now and this tore me apart. She has reached out to me to share in some of my struggles and I just am so angry that her hero has passed on. I pray that she can find peace in his incredible, living legacy.
ReplyDelete