Luca's
Story
Though he was with us for only two short years, he filled our hearts with endless love, joy, and unforgettable moments. Luca’s sudden passing has left a deep void, but his spirit and the memories we shared continue to inspire and strengthen us every day.
A Story of Love and Remembrance
Born on May 31, 2023, Luca was the sweetest, most curious, joyful boy. He loved blowing bubbles, throwing balls, waving to friends, and reading books. Everyone who met him was captivated by his smile that could light up a room and instantly brighten your day.
He also loved to dance, wear his blue shoes, and color outside the lines in his coloring books. He was generous and kind, always sharing. Luca was a perfect combination of his parents, particular like his father and sweet like his mother. Luca was starting to learn his numbers and loved to sing “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.”
Luca's Second Birthday
May 31, 2025 started as a wonderful day as it was Luca’s second birthday. This year was a special year as Luca was going to get 3 birthday cakes: the first the weekend prior with Dada’s family, the second on his birthday with just Mama and Dada, and the third the following weekend with Mama’s family. Luca woke up to his playroom filled with birthday balloons (including a big 2) where we took some of our last family photos. He knew it was his birthday and was begrudgingly smiling for family selfies. We made pancakes for breakfast, with Luca being the good helper that he was and insisting on stirring the ingredients for us. After breakfast we took Luca to an indoor play center where we went on countless slides, jumped on trampolines, and had fun playing with ball cannons.
We then went home for a nap, and when he woke up, he showed signs that he didn't feel well, with limited appetite. At 4:30pm, he had a fever of 102F. We called the pediatrician who said to administer Tylenol and if he wasn't better by morning, bring him in. About an hour later, Luca was already showing signs that he was better - cooler to the touch and eating birthday cake, helping us sing, and letting us know he was “twoooo.” We then put him to bed around 7:30pm and told him we loved him.
When we were going to bed, he looked uncomfortable on the baby monitor so his Dada went to check on him. He was not responsive, turning blue, and had vomited. We called 911 and administered CPR until the EMT’s arrived and took over. They brought Luca to the hospital, where we were told that he passed and there was nothing we could have done. We then spent the next several hours with Luca saying our goodbyes as we won’t be seeing him again until Heaven.
Since he was over the age of one year, his passing is not considered SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome), but instead ruled Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC). SUDC occurs when an apparently healthy child beyond the age of 12 months dies without warning and without cause. It is highly likely that he experienced a febrile seizure while in his sleep, which is much more fatal than awake, ultimately leading to his passing. Today, there is no information on how to identify children that are at higher risk for this occurring or why SUDC happens.
Luca was taken from us too soon but left an indelible mark on all our hearts; he’ll always be our little star.
Favorites
Food
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eggs
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bananas
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pancakes
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blueberries
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blackberries
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canned peaches
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biscoff cookies
Books
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Never Look for a Chameleon
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I Love You to the Moon and Back
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Sleepyheads
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How Do Dinosaurs Go to Sleep?
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Who Is Hiding in the Sea?
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The Very Hungry Caterpillar
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Llama Llama Red Pajama
Activities
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jumping on his Dada’s back
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reading books in his Mama’s lap
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playing ball
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blowing bubbles
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being tossed in the air
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swimming
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dancing
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running around any playground
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riding his tricycle
Colors
Words
Music
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"booo” (blue) for clothes
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​black for coloring
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Mama
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Dada
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more
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help
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hot
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"biiiig"
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“peease”
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up up
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"dawg dawg"
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three
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"bah" for TV (from watching Shaun the Sheep)
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no no no
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Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
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​Wheels on the Bus
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Shake Your Sillies Out
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Party Freeze Dance
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Nice to Meet You - Myles Smith
