Share this
Twitter
Myspace
Digg
Del.icio.us
Reddit
Slashdot
Furl
Yahoo
Technorati
Newsvine
Facebook
Export PDF
Print
E-mail
TagsBY BOB HOLT
NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM
Avery Canahuati was born with Type 1 SMA, an incurable, genetic disorder that attacks spinal neurons and debilitates muscle function. Doctors gave the child 18 months to live, but sadly, Avery, just 5 months old, died from pulmonary complications and cardiac arrest on Monday.“Avery’s passing this quickly came as a complete shock to all of us, as she had just been given a thumbs up at her last doctor’s appointment only three days ago,” Mike Canahauati, Avery's father, said, according to the Mason County Daily News. “While we were aware of the severity of her diagnosis, we never lost hope for Avery.”
The family still hopes to raise awareness of SMA with Avery’s blog. Mike Canahuati wrote, according to UPI.com, “This disease will take my life at some point and there is currently nothing that can be done to stop it. So at this point, my family & friends can either sit back and watch me die or everyone can embrace what my future holds and we can make each day I'm here a memorable one ... starting now."
The Canahuatis began a blog for Avery to give family and friends reports about the child’s health. But it took the form the parents believed Avery would write it in if she had lived as a healthy girl. The blog quickly went viral.
According to Avery’s Bucket List, her list included throwing out the first pitch at a baseball game in honor of SMA awareness, swimming with dolphins, getting a manicure, pedicure, and her first tattoo, meeting Santa Claus, and giving each of her parents a kiss.
The Canahuatis say that one out of 6,000 babies is born with one of four types of SMA, and one in 40 people carries the gene.
Avery’s Bucket List page is well over 4,300,000 views. According to CNN, Canahuati wrote Monday that he could now cross two items off Avery's "bucket list":
1. Not let SMA take my smile away.
2. Take one last breath, then one more before I go to live with my Uncle Bryant, Nana Carolyn, Papa George and my great-grandparents.
Rest in peace little one. You have touched so many hearts and will never be forgotten.