We love Gavin so so so so so so very much

How much do I love you, Ty?
BIG much!
How much do you love me?
BIG much!
Well, I love you big, huge, giant, enormous, Gi-normous, tremendous all the way to infinity MUCH!”
Ty had been saying “big much” since he was two years old.  Before he was diagnosed later that year.  He had trouble making the “ch” sound, so it always sounded more like “Big Muh!”  Adorable regardless.  You can click here to see it/hear it for yourself.  This video was recorded post diagnosis, after his speech started to show the effect of the wretched tumor, but it certainly isn't any less adorable. 

The same routine of telling one another how much we love them is a little different with Gavin, he has his own thing.  It started with Lou at bedtime.

How much do I love you, Gavin?
So so very much.
How much do you love me?
So so very much.
Well, I love you so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so very much.
Then it becomes a funny competition of who can show their love more based on the number of “so’s” we can say.
Well I love YOU so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so  <big breath> so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so very much <insert exaggerated, so out of breath, ready to pass out gesture>.

Yesterday was a great day for the Campbell’s, for Ty, and for the foundation.  The wonderful members of the Back Draft Motorcycle Club selected Ty and our charity to be the beneficiary of their first ever organized fundraiser since the club was created in 2012.  It was an incredible day from start to finish.  I was so tired by the end of the day that I fell asleep in the middle of saying goodnight to Ty in my prayers and woke up telling him “good morning.” 

We started out at the Pawling Triathlon to cheer on Aunt Theresa and Uncle Harry.  This was Aunt Theresa’s first Triathlon, so I brought Gavin and his cousins to cheer her on (and Harry, of course) during the swim, the bike and at the finish line.  Her toes were painted blue with ladybugs in honor of our special boy.  They both did so well!  What an incredible inspiration it is to see such dedicated athletes pushing themselves for the sake of achievement.   The very act of competition and personal accomplishment represents the core of making the most of your gift of life and health.  “I RUN BECAUSE I CAN!”  After seeing children who can't, what more reason do you need?

When I took the kids over to the street to see the run portion of the event, I bumped into a wonderful family of Ty supporters, The Melchner’s, who were there to put “TY-Athlon” flyers on the car windows to promote our first annual tri on behalf of the Foundation.  They braved the heat with their two young girls and it was such a treat to finally meet them all and thank them for all they are doing. 
I will be sure to post more details about the TYathlon soon, but the basics are listed on the flyer below for all those who are interested.  It is scheduled for September 21 in Mahopac, NY, and you can register through Active.com by clicking here.  We will have a Team SuperTy fundraising page set-up on Crowdrise.com for those competitors who want to join us by committing to additional fundraising as you train for the event.  I will post more information on that process soon.  In the meantime, if you have any questions please email Debi at dfossati@superty.org.

If the September date doesn’t work for you, or if you live closer to the city, there is still time to register and start fundraising for the Miles for Hope 5K in Flushing, Queens.  CLICK HERE to access the registration site (then click on "register here" button to the left, select the option to "join a team, find "team superty" in the dropdown menu, and it's pretty easy to navigate from there).  Finally, if you can’t run the 5K but wish to support the cause, you can instead click "donate to participant" and search for Cindy Campbell to make a donation:)  Thank you so much!

After the race yesterday, we all headed over to the amazing "Ride for Ty" fundraiser at Patterson Fire Department.  We rolled into the parking lot to see a variety of huge bouncy houses and slides, dunk tanks, cotton candy, sno-cones, face painting, etc., all donated by the wonderful owners of Fun Zone Inflatables.  The kids had SUCH a blast.  The attendees were so generous and it was a very overwhelming/emotional afternoon for me to see so many people donating to the cause.  We were presented with a huge check from Backdraft Motorcycle Club, and there’s more to come after all of the amazing auction items and such that took place throughout the day!  I can’t thank Chris and all the guys enough.  That event was so wonderful, and it took a whole lot of hard work.  They did an amazing job and raised a ton of money. 

I would also like to extend my thanks to the Patterson and Mahopac Fire Departments, Depot Wines and Liquors for sponsoring the event and Once Upon a Child toy store for their generosity toward Gavin (a gift certificate for a new bike!)  And a very special thanks to Lisa Beth Action who volunteered to help out of the goodness in her heart, and who made so much magic happen.
  
I rarely ride, but Lou was on a bike along with his Dad, Rich and Debi, Chris, Charlie, Anthony, Ed, Rossano, Rudy and our friends at the Iron Riders MC and various other motorcycle clubs that participated in this amazing, albeit HOT (92 degrees!), day of fun.  It was such an honor for me and my family.  Lou is still talking about what in incredible feeling it was to ride with well over a hundred wonderful people who came out to honor Ty.  He said he felt Ty right there with him, riding on the handlebars with the wind blowing through his totally awesome hair.  Debi said that pulling up to the party afterward and seeing this tremendous sign hanging off the ladder of the fire truck brought her to tears as they rolled up. 

 

 

Thanks so much to all those that participated.  I am still smiling after such a great weekend.  All for Ty.  Always for Ty :)  Makes me happy.  

 

Before signing off I want to quickly address the recent post on http://www.warriorelihoax.com./.  A lot of people have sent me messages of concern, and I noticed some “shares” on Facebook.  I just want you all to know that I am very aware of what happened.  I am and have been upset about it for months since I first heard about the suspicion that there was a false blog “borrowing” a lot of information from my own writings at superty.org.  I am glad that this wonderful group of caring individuals were able to finally track down the person responsible and take action (the Remembering Reilly blog has been taken down), but I am mostly just sad and sorry for that person.  She emailed me a scared and heartfelt apology after being caught.  She is only 17 and I totally and completely forgive her.  Please respect my wishes to forgive her too, and join me in hoping that life brings her mental health and happiness so that she won’t be driven to do something so hurtful and harmful ever again.  Let's choose love and forget that ever even happened. 

Goodnight everyone.  XOXO.  There were so many stars in the sky all weekend long, it makes me want to stay up late and sit outside with Ty tonight and every night.  I think I might have to, just for a few minutes before heading upstairs.