Grab your tissues, dear reader, because we’re about to embark on an emotional roller coaster that’ll have you clutching your heart and sobbing—probably all at once. This is the poignant story of little Leland Shoemake, a 6-year-old from Williamson, Georgia, whose brief but bright life touched everyone around him. You might want to brace yourself, it’s a doozy.
Leland was quite the prodigy. By the young age of one, his humble abode was filled with the echoes of ABCs, numbers, colors, and even 20 sight words. Honestly, overachieve much? His mom, Amber Shoemake, graciously shared on social media just how much this little whiz kid loved the History Channel, and anything remotely educational. While most kids were perfecting their PB&J sandwich-making skills, Leland was binge-watching documentaries, because that’s how he rolled. Nerd alert!
The Unforgiving Bacteria
It was 2015 when things took an unexpected and gut-wrenching turn. Leland, once the picture of health and curiosity, fell ill rather suddenly. Doctors, initially as puzzled as a cat in a dog park, scrambled to discover that Leland had a brain infection laced with the ominous amoeba Balamuthia mandrillaris. Spoiler alert: playing in the dirt might have been his downfall.
Talk about irony, right? Mrs. Shoemake, later reflecting on Facebook, lamented that the soil he adored might have harbored this invisible foe. Meningitis was the doctors’ initial guess, but this microscopic nightmare of a bacterial buddy was to blame.
”He has had bad headaches, fever, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, and now his eyes are crossed,” his mom painfully recalled on their GoFundme page, unearthing the agony of watching their boy suffer.
September 25, 2015, was the day Leland shuffled off his mortal coil, leaving his family to face the epic sorrow that only the sudden loss of a loved one leaves in its wake.
As they trudged back into their home, burdened by waves of grief, an unexpected relic drew their attention. Leland, ever the little note-leaver and doodler extraordinaire, had left them one final token of love.
Resting on the living room table was a note that read, ‘Stil (sic) with you… Thank you mom and dad… Love.’ Alongside was a drawn red heart, sealed with love containing the words mom, dad, and love.
This seemingly simple message transformed into a profound lifeline, tethering his parents to the warmth of his memory even amidst their most challenging of moments.
Leland’s mom, Amber, commented, “We have no idea when he wrote it but you can tell he was always a special child.” Understatement of the year, Amber!
Echoes of Love
Amber Shoemake’s heartbreaking social media post further illuminated the journey of their family—of Leland, the boy who was their Einstein with a dash of Spielberg smarts. Their beautiful nerd who, unfortunately, had to sail off into the sunset of their lives far too early.
She’s not pulling any punches as she reminisces about the clever lines Leland would quote from his favorite flicks. Apparently, ‘check ya later’ from ‘Dazed and Confused’ was a hit, along with the iconic ‘you’re gonna need a bigger boat’ from ‘Jaws.’ The kid had better taste in movies than most adults!
Leland wasn’t just a bright kid with an impressive vocabulary for his age. No, he was an individual who beckoned everyone to lean into love and laughter. The Shoemakes’ heartache can’t erase the myriad of later recollections of their boy’s warm smile or the way he lit up every room he wandered into.
Emerging from burying a child must rank as one of the universe’s most nefarious trials. Nevertheless, Leland’s legacy lingers like a gentle breeze, urging us to squeeze every ounce of live-laugh-love goodness from each day. Why? Because who knows what bacteria lurks in the dirt—or when fate might unceremoniously script another plot twist.
So, dear reader, grab a tissue and let’s never forget Leland Shoemake. Strip away every other thought but those that remind you to embrace life fully, because even in sorrow, there can be a heartwarming note that tugs at our soul… penned in love.
