Today Should Have Been Our Son's 11th Birthday January 16th is not just a date on the calendar. It is Elijah Silvera Day, a day that marks both the celebration of our son Elijah-Alavi Silvera’s life and the unrelenting pain of his absence. Elijah, our beautiful boy, should be here today, surrounded by balloons, a safe allergen-free cake, candles, and the uncontainable laughter of childhood. Instead, we are left with memories and an ache so profound that no words can ever fully capture it.
Elijah was just 3 years old when his life was stolen from us, taken by negligence, by a system that failed him, and by preventable circumstances that we now fight every day to eliminate. A child full of love, joy, and boundless curiosity, Elijah had a way of bringing people together, often with his simple but profound words: "Make a hand. Make a hug. Make a kiss." It was his way of asking for love, of reminding us all of the power of human connection.
Today, we ask you, on what would have been Elijah’s 11th birthday, to do just that. Make a hand. Make a hug. Make a kiss. Reach out to the ones you love. Hold them a little tighter. Tell them you love them. Because there are parents like us who can no longer do that, and there are children like Elijah who never get the chance to grow up.
No parent should ever endure what we have endured. No parent should bury their child because of a failure to protect them. Elijah's passing was not just a personal tragedy. It was a preventable disaster that exposed the cracks in our systems. His death revealed the glaring gaps in how we safeguard children with food allergies and other vulnerabilities, especially in marginalized communities.
But we refuse to let his story end in tragedy. In Elijah’s name, we have fought to bring about meaningful change. Through the Elijah-Alavi Foundation, we have turned our grief into action. We have passed laws, like Elijah’s Law, to ensure that childcare centers and schools are equipped to handle severe allergies. We have educated communities, advocated for families, and demanded accountability. We have fought to ensure no child suffers as Elijah did, and no family is shattered the way ours was.
This is not just our fight. It is a fight for every child, for every parent, and for every community. Food allergies are not just an inconvenience; they are life-threatening, and they demand respect, preparation, and awareness. The pain of losing Elijah will never leave us. It is a scar that reminds us every day of what has been taken, of birthdays that will never be celebrated, and of milestones that will never be reached. But that pain has also fueled a mission to create a safer world for children everywhere.
Today, on Elijah Silvera Day, we ask you to honor his memory by taking action. Advocate. Educate. Protect. Share this message, tell Elijah’s story, and help us continue the fight. Make a commitment to stand with us in creating a world where no child’s life is cut short, where no parent has to say goodbye too soon, and where the love we give is as safe as it is boundless.
As his parents, we will never stop walking the path that Elijah was denied. We will fight for change in his honor, so his legacy is one of transformation, protection, and love. Elijah’s light was taken far too soon, but we will carry it forward, burning brighter with every step, every law passed, and every life saved.
Be Elijah's Echo.
Make a hand. Make a hug. Make a kiss. Remember Elijah-Alavi Silvera, and join us in creating the change that his life so desperately calls for.
If you would like to continue helping and supporting our mission, please donate today at www.elijahalavifoundation.org or click the button below.
Forever his family,
Thomas Silvera and
Ondina Hawthorne
Sebastin Silvera
In honor of our son,
Elijah-Alavi Silvera.
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