Keegan Ryan Anderson

Keegan Ryan Anderson was born on August 20^th 2013, and joined this word with ease and pure joy, which would be a common thread throughout his life.  The happiness that filled our hearts the moment we heard his cry is the unexplainable bliss that can’t be put into words until you experience your heart having more love than you could ever imagine.  Reese became a big sister, and we became parents to the sweetest, most amazing little boy God could have ever blessed us with.  Life as we knew it had changed forever.

Keegan grew quickly, often before getting a chance to wear all the clothes we had ready for him to adorn, and began smiling and laughing at a very early age.  His spirit just emanated happiness, which he spread to all who were in his presence.  He was full of smiles for those who crossed his path, and we would often hear how he was the happiest baby people had ever met.  He adored his sister, laughing at everything she did, and lighting up the moment she walked in the room, keeping his eyes glued on her every move.  They had a bond that could be easily seen, and captured in many pictures.  Keegan had a special way to make you feel like you were the most important person in the world, and filled our hearts with so much love and joy that we beamed with pride and happiness.

We had no idea that this light would be taken from us all too soon.  On April 30^th, 2014, we put Keegan down for the night and when we checked on him before going to bed, found him not breathing and despite all our efforts and the efforts of the EMT, it was too late.  As much as we wish Keegan was here with us, God had a different plan for Keegan.

The days and months that have followed have been filled with pain, loss, questions, and utter sadness.  We miss Keegan more than words could ever convey, and know that our hearts will long for him until the day we are all united again.  Until then, we hope to live our lives in honor of our amazing son, and do what we can to shine his light and bring love to this world.  It is our hope that other parents won’t have to go through what we have had to endure, and through organizations like SUDC, we hope to be able to bring more support, understanding, research and process changes that are so desperately needed.

While this past year has brought us more pain than we could ever imagine, we are beyond grateful for the time we had with Keegan and feel so blessed that we were given 8 ½ unbelievable months that changed the way we look at this world, and the way we will live out the rest of our lives.  Keegan was such a gift, and we hope to be able to continue sharing that amazing gift.