Heartbroken parents find poignant note from son, 6, after his death

Losing a child is one of the hardest and most heartbreaking experiences a parent can go through, and one that leads us to seek comfort wherever we can find it. For Tim and Amber Shoemake, the parents of six-year-old Leland, they didn’t have to look too far.

 

The Shoemakes were naturally devastated when they lost their son Leland after he contract Balamuthia mandrillaris, an amoebic infection found in soil.

 

When the couple were finally able to make the first trip home from the hospital after Leland’s passing, they made an incredible discovery – they found a note from their son.

 

Sitting on the family’s living room table, written in red marker, was the message: “Still with you. Thank you mom & dad. Love.”

 

Sharing the experience and the news of her tragic loss on a Facebook page entitled ‘Prayers for Leland’, devastated Amber wrote: “I was overprotective of Leland and tried my best to keep him safe. The one thing he loved most was playing in the dirt. I never imagined that would be the thing that would take him from me.”

 

“He was my world. 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 light of our life and the centre of this family,” she added.

 

Our hearts go out to Amber, Tim and their family.