Open up your heart!

and send this family your love and support...

You would not know it by just looking at Aaron, because of his spunky little personality or him flashing a wink at you....
because just that alone can melt you to pieces when he does that.. :) but Aaron does need a healthy heart and a healthy kidney to keep going on in life.... I was honored to meet and photograph the Tanner family a couple weeks ago in Los Angeles.

During December, I put out my annual Giving is awesome campaign, and I received many touching entries, but when I read the Tanner families story from Melissa Bowman, I knew I wanted to give them something special and memories they would cherish forever.. I wish I could have given them much more..

I wish I was a great writer to explain how this family touched MY heart, the one thing I probably take for granted... But trust me, they did in many more ways than I could ever explain in one post... They sure did...



content from The Tanner's blog

Before Elizabeth and Mark’s 4th son Aaron was born he was diagnosed with a congenital heart condition — only the right side of his heart was working, “hypoplastic left heart” they called it. After he was born he had to remain at UCSF for 6 weeks. Elizabeth would bring Aaron’s cheerful 2 year old brother Ethan with her to visit, who delighted in kissing his new little brother.

A week after they finally got to bring Aaron home, 2 year old Ethan came down with what seemed to be the flu but he was inconsolable. With baby Aaron in her arms they took Ethan to the hospital. When he didn’t respond to an oxygen mask they decided to intubate him.

As the tube entered his chest they discovered his chest was saturated with fluid that came rushing out, drowning any chance the medical team had of getting him the oxygen he needed. Their beautiful little Ethan died. “Pertrophic Cardiomyopathy” they called it, that doesn’t, unfortunately give much warning, death is often one of the first symptoms.

Elizabeth buried a part of her soul with Ethan but remaining completely dead was not an option for her. She had to stay positive for her husband, for their 2 older sons and of course for their precious Aaron.

Aaron, now age 4, and 3 open heart surgeries later, just found out on Monday that he now faces his biggest challenge yet. Due to renal failure that is putting too much pressure on his heart, he must have a heart and kidney transplant simultaneously in order to survive.


To read more about Aaron and see what you can do to help, GO HERE



see what I mean.... I MELTED!!!!! ;)




and you gotta love a boy who can sport True Religion jeans like this.... :)







and handsome big brothers... :)




One beautiful family... ;)