Ava. Where to start. She was the cutest little mixed baby I have ever seen. Shit the tears are already coming. Once sentence? Really?
She was 14 months old when this all happened. Ava was my fiancees little girl she had with another guy before I had met her. I loved her as my own. I wanted to be the best dad I could to this little girl. I never will get to now. Ava changed my fiancee for the long haul. She brought a family together. She changed lives and I hope that through this blog and other things that she will continue to make a difference.
Ava died while playing in her room. The dresser that was in that room fell on her. She had tried to climb it. This is really hard to talk about but I am going to keep going as far as I can. We didn't hear a noise because she was a soft thing the coroner said.
I didn't ever know that furniture like a dresser would fall on a kid. I didn't think they would climb it. I was wrong. So damn wrong. Now you can know better and save your kids life.
There are numerous things that can tip on a child and have in the past. Please bolt down any furniture that can be tipped or climbed on. This is not a perfect list so make sure you check your home for other items and email us to let us know other items to list. Fasten these things:
- TVs (these tip all the time)
- Dresser
- Shelves
- Water coolers
- Desks
- Tables
Some things to know. A traumatic event like this will mess with your mind in a big way. PTSD happened to my fiancee as a result. She can't cope. She has lost the ability to see reality as it really is. She hates herself and everyone. She hates God and doctors and police and just everything. Existence is just not a happy place for her. She isn't with me anymore as we recently split up 6 months after the event that shook us to the core. I tried remaining strong for her but even the strongest are no match for PTSD of this magnitude. It has brought me to my knees along with her. I don't want to get into detail why I had to leave her but it wasn't the girl I once knew.
Solutions:
Everyone must see a counselor. A licensed one that doesn't suck. Someone that knows what they are doing. Something that can guide you out of the horrible fog and torment. You must be willing. You must get there or it will destroy you.
I am finally going to see a counselor and she has tried group. She felt it was helpful but things got in the way and she didn't complete it. Now she is still not able to cope and gone from me. I am now dealing with the loss of our child, my significant others PTSD and losing my significant other.
Please secure your furniture with fasteners you can easily buy on Amazon like this Tip Resistant Furniture Safety Bracket system
Please save your child and secure your furniture.
