Community raises $190K for grieving Tasmanian family after 3-year-old’s death
Little Alby Davis should be celebrating his fourth birthday this week, but on Monday afternoon he tragically passed away after a bouncy ball became lodged in his windpipe. A heartbroken online community has rallied around the grief-stricken Tasmanian family, raising over $190,000 in just one day to allow them to grieve without worrying about finances.
Gone too soon
Anna and Simon Davis’ three-year-old son was playing with a bouncy ball at his home in Wynyard, Tasmania on Monday afternoon when the ball, which had arrived in a package of party favours for his upcoming fourth birthday celebrations, became lodged in his windpipe and left him unable to breathe.
Despite his mother’s efforts to save him, it only took seconds before Alby was gone. His grieving mother posted a photo in tribute of her beloved middle child on Instagram the next day with the heartfelt words:
“Yesterday afternoon, our beautiful, beautiful Alby, our darling baby boy, grew wings and flew from this earth. Minutes pass like hours and the gaping hole in our lives and hearts is completely incomprehensible. We adore you beyond belief, our sweet little fox. Forever three, forever free.”
Difficult road ahead
The couple, who are also parents to a daughter Sage and son Acre with a fourth baby on the way, have no access to paid leave; with Simon working as a relief teacher and Anna being self-employed through her online business, The Small Folk, that sells children’s toys and products designed to foster the imagination. With this in mind a close family friend quickly set up the GoFundMe page to help Alby’s parents during this difficult time.
In a complete and utter outpouring of community support, the fundraising page has since received an astounding $190,000 in only one day with thousands of messages of support and love flowing in on social media. Anna was so blown away by their generosity that she shared a post expressing her immense gratitude with a bittersweet snap of Alby just 40 minutes before he sadly passed away.
The community steps in
The pain of losing a child – and so suddenly – is without doubt one of life’s greatest hardships. In a show of incredible community support, the donations made to Alby’s family will ensure the pressure of financial stress isn’t added to their grief.
They say it takes a village to raise a child and it’s times like this that it’s never more evident when a community both near and far, shares in a family’s grief and offers unwavering support during such a tragedy.
Our thoughts are with Alby’s family at this difficult time. To donate to ‘Forever Three, Forever Free’ head to their GoFundMe page here.
