About Alyssa
It’s hard to believe how much time has passed since Alyssa’s short life changed our course. The memories seem to be embedded on a cellular level, and the heartache is just as strong as it was when we shared the news with family & friends in 1998. The difference now though is that time gives you perspective. Like a tough expedition marred by terrible moments fighting off clouds of mosquitoes and weathering intense storms, the images that come to mind when looking back at it are, thankfully, the moments of beauty. The jaw-dropping sunsets, the faces of generous strangers and that intangible inkling (faith) that everything really is how it should be.
If you have children, you can probably remember the moment during the first ultrasound when you searched the technician’s face for any sign of concern and when you heard that your baby was healthy and everything looked fine, that feeling of relief. With us, we saw only a blank expression. Not warm or cold, just rigid blankness. “She has all her fingers and toes?” we joked, and he could only say he doesn’t discuss ultrasound findings and that we would hear from our doctor. We had no idea what was coming down the road, but we knew one thing: it wasn’t paved. As it turned out, it wasn’t even cut into the landscape.
To learn more about Bruce, Mary and Alyssa, please read Mary’s posts, written in 2018 to commemorate Alyssa’s 20th Birthday:
Part 2: Alyssa’s 20 Days on Earth
Part 4: Please Help Raise Funds and Awareness for Children’s Health
Please Donate
Our family is profoundly grateful for the care Alyssa received during her short but magnificent lifespan at SickKids Hospital in Toronto, Ontario. We are humbled by the chance to make a difference for sick and injured children now and forever.
Motorcycle for Miracles’ “ENDS OF THE EARTH RIDE” was our most ambitious fundraising journey. We are thrilled to have surpassed our goal of raising $300,000 for the Children’s Miracle Network in Alyssa’s honour. The need never stops, however, and the donation link remains active.
DONATE- SickKids Hospital contributors can make a secure donation online of any amount by clicking here.
No matter the size of your donation, we are ever so grateful for your generous spirit of giving so that kids can be helped or even cured – and go on to the important business of being a kid again! And we cannot thank you enough for your encouragement as we aim to demonstrate to our own kids that their actions can inspire others and make a difference in the world.
