Banana Splits for Dinner


A little boy named Ryan Roberts is dying. He is 21 months old and has a heart defect. This week, his parents made the agonizing decision to sign a Do Not Resuscitate order--the doctors have exhausted treatment options. His mother, Diane, has a wish for her dying son:

For everyone to serve banana splits for dinner. 

Diane wants everyone to go create memories with their children--seriously, who would ever forget the nights spent having dessert for dinner? It is the most tender of tributes for a little boy who is dying, much too soon. You can read about Ryan's full story here.

I can't imagine my child dying; but I do know the fear of being on the edge of loss. Both my girls fought their way into the world. And when Lily was diagnosed with cancer; I saw the edge, just steps away. Lily got her own Make-A-Wish trip--we went on a whirlwind trip to Disney World. It was incredible. We were all treated like royalty from start to finish.

And the best part: an ice cream parlor at Give Kids the World Village (our fabulous accommodations) that opened at 8 a.m.

Lily had a banana split for breakfast nearly everyday, including the morning of her 4th birthday. Since that trip, our family tradition is banana splits for breakfast on our birthdays, complete with the cherry on top. It is a wonderful tradition--one created so we would always remember our amazing trip and also so we would never forget to create memories everyday, with every breath.

And today, we will have banana splits for dinner.



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