David Angelo beautiful son of David & Adrianne Cruz.

This memorial website was created in the memory of our loved one, David Angelo Cruz who was born in Pennsylvania on July 03, 2008 and passed away on September 15, 2008 . We will remember him forever.

I just received this from SIDS of PA and it is so true I have to share it with all of you:

A Bereaved Parent's Wish List

1.  I wish my child hadn't died.  I wish I had him back.

2.  I wish you wouldn't be afraid to speak my child's name.  My child lived and was very important to me.  I need to hear that he was important to you also.

3.  If I cry and get emotional when you talk about my child, I wish you knew that it isn't because you have hurt me.  My child's death is the cause of my tears.  You have talked about my child, and you have allowed me to share my grief.  I thank you for both.

4.  I wish you wouldn't "kill" my child again by removing his pictures, artwork, or other remembrances from your home

5.  Being a bereaved parent is not contagious, so I wish you wouldn't shy away from me.  I need you now more than ever.

6.  I need diversions, so I do want to hear about you; but, I also want you to hear about me.  I might be sad and I might cry, but I wish you would let me talk about my child , my favorite topic of the day.

7.  I know that you think of and pray for me often.  I also know that my child's death pain you, too.  I wish you would let me know those things through a phone call, a card of note, or a real big hug.

8.  I wish you wouldn's expect my grief to be over is 6 months.  These first months are traumatic for me, but I wish you could understand that my grief will never be over.  I will suffer the death of my child until the day I die.

9.  I am working very hard in my recovery, but I wish you could understand that I will never fully recover.  I will always miss my child, and I will always grieve that he is dead.

10.  I wish you wouldn't expect me "not to think about it" or to "be happy".  Neither will happen for a very long time, so don't frustrate yourself.

11.  I don't want to have a pity party, but I do wish you would let me grieve.  I must hurt before I can heal.

12.  I wish you would understand how my life has shattered.  I know it is miserable for you to be around me when I'm feeling miserable.  Please be as patient with me as I am with you.

13.  When I say " I'm doing okay", I wish you could understand that I don't feel okay and that I struggle daily.

14.  I wish you knew that all of the grief reactions I'm having are normal.

15.  Depression, anger, frustration, hopelessness, and overwhelming sadness are all to be expected.  So, please excuse me when I'm quiet and withdrawn or irritable and cranky.

16.  Please excuse me if I seem rude- certainly not my intent.  Sometimes the world around me goes too fast and I need to get off.  When I walk away, I wish you would let me find a quiet place to spend time alone.

17.  I wish you understoond that grief changes people.  When my child died, a big part of me died with him.  I am not the same person I was before my child died, and I will never be that person again.

18.  I wish very much that you could understand- understand my loss and my grief, my silence and my tears, my void and my pain.  BUT, I pray daily that you will never understand.

                                  If I Knew

                    Hold your loved ones close today

                    Whisper in their ear,

                    Tell them that you love them

                    And you'll always hold them dear.

                    For tomorrow is promised no one

                    Young and old alike,

                    And today may be your last chance

                   To hold your loved ones tight.

                                          -Adapted, author unknown

We would like to thank all of our amazing family, friends, coworkers and random passerbys who have made donations in Angelo's name on sids.org, expressed their condolences or just offered a few words of encouragement.  Without you we don't know how we would have made it through this without our precious son.  If we can help save one little life than that is one family that won't have to go through this horrible tragedy.  From the bottom of our hearts... Thank you

Love,

Adrianne, Dave and Angelo