My special note to Cooper.

Dearest Cooper,

I never had the opportunity to formally meet you before your departure from this world. But the memories I do have of your time here are filled with energy, joy, and happiness.

I remember when Greyson first started kindergarten. We could always count on seeing you goofing off with your brother. At one point, I remember thinking to myself, “Who are these brothers with the mohawks?”

Growing up, I could only wish that I had the kind of relationship with my brothers that you had with yours. There was something special about the bond you shared.

While the memories I have of your life here are meaningful, the memories I have of you beyond your time here are almost impossible to put into words.

I’ve asked myself more than once: Why did I do this for a boy I never really had the chance to meet?

Some people might have their own answers. Some might question my intentions. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions. But I know why I did it.

Maybe it’s because I know what it feels like to experience that sheer, gut-wrenching panic that comes with the possibility of never seeing your child again.

Maybe I know what it feels like to have your entire life turned upside down in an instant.

Maybe, in some small way, I understand the kind of pain your parents are experiencing.

And if there is one thing I believe, it is that no parent should ever have to go through something like this alone.

Your parents shouldn’t have to carry the emotional weight of losing you while also worrying about how they are going to afford everything that comes with saying goodbye. They deserve the freedom to grieve, to remember you, and to give you the memorial you deserve without having to worry about everything else.

So I simply showed up for them.

I showed up in the way I would want someone to show up for me.

Your parents are truly wonderful people, and they deserve that support.

I’m also glad we made the decision to keep the media at a distance. It wasn’t always easy, but I believe you and your family deserved privacy. This wasn’t about attention. It was about your family, your community, and making sure that the people who loved you could grieve without having their most painful moments turned into something for everyone else to consume.

And then something happened that I don’t think any of us could have anticipated.

You brought an entire community together. Bruh…

The impact you have had beyond your life is astounding.

I will forever be grateful that I got to be a small part of this fundraiser and witness what this community was capable of doing for you and your family.

We didn’t just meet the goal.

We didn’t just show up.

We overdelivered.

We gave an entire town the opportunity to paint itself blue for you. Even if we never signed up for it.

And even though we never set out with the intention of creating something this big, I can honestly say that I don’t know if I’ve ever felt prouder of something I’ve been a part of in my life.

So, lil’ bruh, I want to tell you something.

Before all of this, the most we had ever sold was maybe a dozen retail pieces in an entire weekend across two shows.

Then you came along.

With your guidance, the grace of G-d, and an incredible community behind us, we somehow sold nearly 100x that in just a few intense, pressure-filled days.

I don’t even know how we did it.

Would I do it again?

In a heartbeat.

Because it was never really about the shirts.

It was about you.

It was about your family.

It was about showing them that they weren’t alone.

Tonight, after another incredibly long day and night of production and distribution, I went to visit your memorial before heading home.

How could I not?

I needed to see it.

I needed to take a moment and see what this community had done for you.

And honestly, Cooper, I don’t have the words.

I’m shocked.

I’m humbled.

I’m completely at a loss for words.

A little boy who I never formally met managed to bring together an entire community and remind all of us what it means to show up for one another.

I hope I made you proud.

I hope, wherever you are, you know that I tried to do the right thing.

And I hope you always watch over me.

Because in return, I want to make you a promise:

I will always look out for your folks.

I love you, little buddy.

You may not have known me, and I may not have gotten the chance to know you the way I wish I could have.

But you left an impression on me that I will carry for the rest of my life.

Rest easy, Cooper.

You were loved.

You are missed. ALOT.

And you will NEVER be forgotten.