The Theodore Trot

On a more personal note - I appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding as we wrapped up our 3rd annual Trot event. This third year of putting it on has felt very different…similar to how each year of grief feels for so many I suppose.

I’m grateful for the technology of my iPhone as it has beautiful memories of Theodore pop up periodically…but it made me very sad when I started to notice repeat photos…. We have so many amazing memories of Theodore’s full but brief little life of 2 years captured that I think for at least 2 years afterwards I would always get so many different ones to pop up from the iPhone algorithm… but then when they started to repeat it made me very, very sad at the stark reality of how I don’t get to have any new ones…. 💙❤️‍🩹💔

That’s why The Theodore Trot event is such a wonderful gift for me and my family - it does actually enable us to continue having Theodore memories each year. So thank you everyone for a gift you may not even realize you gave us in this charity event as well!

“The late Maya Angelou, an American poet, said it best: ‘There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.’” This quote really resonated with me - as I think it helps describe how much heartbreak continues after you lose a child. Your heart, world, soul is completely crushed - but then as what’s left of you continues on, you actually still continue to experience more heartbreak on an already shattered heart. Wanting so badly to tell your child’s story, have them still be a part of life on this Earth, and matter!

Like every parent, I want to constantly talk about and share my beautiful family with the world. This just becomes quite challenging for those that are a bereaved family like us. I don’t have the physical presence of Theodore to showcase. Nor can you see his permanent mark on my heart and soul. So it is wonderful that we can bring visibility by sharing our story, honor our sweet little boy through the Theodore Trot event, and spread love. Thanks to all for letting this happen. One beautiful way we can continue to share Theodore with the world and expand his impact to more.

A few of these photos are from Theodore’s first days of life. So brave, so strong, so amazing. Thanks to John’s Hopkins Hospital our little boy was born and lived! - he and I underwent medical procedures in utero, he handled complex surgery at only days old, and he persevered despite the odds. We are forever grateful to John’s Hopkins for all they did for us - beyond helping our Theodore come into this world - we were able to actually have ‘fun’ at the hospital - enjoying different events they would put on and making beautiful memories during hospital visits. We were ecstatic when Theodore was born - truly on cloud nine. This little boy being so brave, so resilient - nicknamed a warrior as a baby. So proud to be his family. We miss you so much sweetheart - I know you were part of the sunrays on our Theodore Trot event. ☀️🌟🌻Love you so much Theodore. 💙

Thanks everyone so much for an incredibly successful 2024 Theodore Trot Memorial Race, our 3rd annual event! We appreciate you supporting this meaningful event and celebrating our sweet Theodore. 👼🐞🌟

Thanks to all of the love ❤️ - we were able to raise and donate $3,451 to the Boston Children’s Hospital extraordinary needs fund. 👏🏻🙌🏻🫶🏻
Super HUGE thanks to all of our wonderful sponsors (several repeat supporters plus some new ones to the mix as well!), which enabled us to raise money for an important cause/charity, furbish race prices, spread love and kindness, and have lots of fun! -
*Eagle Bank
*Sol Bean
*Avery Auto Care
*CrossFit Wicked
*Richardson’s Farm
*Hermanium
*Andover Pediatrics
*The Exercise Coach
*Arizzi Chiropractic
*Declan’s Mining Co
*Acupuncture of New England
*Middleton Youth Basketball

🤗Thanks to all the trotters that joined us!
🏃🏻‍♀️🚶🏻👫🏼
🤗Thanks to Racewire for their race event planning, platform, and race day production help!
🤗Thanks to Unlimited Promotions for making our special race shirts and their unbelievable continued topnotch service!
🤗Thanks to our 3-year running special inhouse tshirt designer artist (Miss Vanessa McBride)
🤗Thanks to the generosity and energetic music from DJ Hermanium (and his wife!)
🤗Thanks to all who helped support with donations, help with the race (before, during, and after), and being a part of this event!
🤗Thanks to our wonderful town of Middleton for helping plan this event and allowing us to put it on!
🤗Thanks to the Department of Public Works for all of the help, support, and cones!
🤗Thanks to Fuller Meadow for allowing us to use the property for our race event.
🤗Thanks to the Middleton Police for help with planning and ensuring safety during the event!
🤗Thanks to our great neighborhood and community for continuing to tolerate our race route and event, and for those that even came out to cheer us on and be our spectators!
🤗Thanks to Dragonfly Artful Designs for our magical and unexpected race decor / surprise gift from the incredibly thoughtful Mitus Family. 🥹💝
🤗Thanks to the continued support of our beloved Theodore’s Thursday Trotters group - for joining us on our weekly walks. We welcome anyone to join us for continued Thursday evening trots! And look forward to spreading the word for our 4th annual race event to take place next spring!
🤗And thanks to anyone or anything I forgot to mention!!!! Thanks to all!

- - - - - -

We are so sorry for any that need to go to B*H, but so happy you have a way to help your child! May the extra help we raised for this fund support your time at B*H and alleviate at least some of your concerns/needs. We send you positive vibes, good health and healing, and LOTS of love and hugs! ❤️❤️❤️

Only 3 days ‘til our 3rd annual Theodore Trot memorial race!!! Please sign up @
thetheodoretrot.racewire.com!

We will be honoring our sweet Theodore with a lovely trot and then holding a raffle afterwards to raise money for B*H! Looking forward to seeing you there!

http://fundraise.childrenshospital.org/goto/theodoretrot

👼🌟💕

Help Me Help Kids at Boston Children's Hospital I'm fundraising for Boston Children's life-saving work. Will you support my efforts? Visit my fundraising page to donate.

Looking forward to seeing everyone at our 3rd annual Theodore Trot event in one week!!! Please sign up anytime this week - @
thetheodoretrot.racewire.com
Or feel free to sign up on the day of the race as well!

We always appreciate support in person or in spirit! So whether you’ll be joining us in the race or can’t make it - anyone can help support our cause by making a donation here as well:
http://fundraise.childrenshospital.org/goto/theodoretrot

Thanks so much for reading about our sweet Theodore and this event / cause in his honor! 💙🦋🐞🙌🏻🤗💫🌟

Help Me Help Kids at Boston Children's Hospital I'm fundraising for Boston Children's life-saving work. Will you support my efforts? Visit my fundraising page to donate.

Please join us for the 3rd annual Theodore Trot!!! Sign up today and secure your tshirt size!!!

http://Thetheodoretrot.racewire.com

Here are some beautiful memories from Theodore’s life on Earth…wish we had even more! But definitely grateful for all of these! Love you so much sweet boy. 🌟💫💙🦋🐞

Tomorrow is World Kidney Day… so what better way to kick it off than to announce the return of our third annual memorial Theodore Trot! Please come join us, to spread love and togetherness in our community in honor of Theodore Warren McBride. When? Saturday (Apr 27th) at 9 am! Where? Same 2-mile distance (but new start & end at Fuller Meadow Elementary School for the first time)! ❤️🌟👼 Please check out more info and details here as you register for the race! Thank you!!!

Come race with me! - The Theodore Trot

“Loss is a fundamental, if often painful part of life. Whether it’s the loss of a loved one, the loss of wealth or material things, or the loss of a relationship or good health, losing what was once ours can feel downright devastating. Yet as poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson, once wrote in an elegy to his late friend Arthur Henry Hallam, “’Tis better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all.” In other words, the pain of loss never quite outweighs the pleasure of having loved, in the end.

This is not, of course, to diminish the hurt of our loss, but rather to suggest that we shouldn’t allow the suffering we experience prevent us from opening our hearts again in the future. Take the time to grieve and process, but once enough time has passed, it is important not to let the past stymie our future decisions and relationships.”

What a fitting way to explain the Theodore Trot event… the very reason for it, bittersweet - but nonetheless how beautiful and positive something can be when we make it that way.

In an attempt to try and fill the void in our hearts from loving and missing our Theodore we decided to form the Theodore Trot event - a way to commemorate and celebrate Theodore’s beautiful life, a gift we were given and will forever treasure.

Thank you everyone for helping us do this!!!
❤️🌟❤️🌟❤️🌟❤️🌟❤️🌟❤️🌟❤️🌟❤️

We are SO appreciative of all of the love and support given!

*trotting each and every week with us for the last two years

*helping us plan and prep for the second annual race event!

*all of the sponsors for this 2023 event!
-Andover Pediatrics!
-Arizzi Chiropractic
-Avery’s AutoCare
-CrossFit
-Eagle Bank
-Element Massage
-Richardson’s
-Sol Bean
-Declan’s
-DJ Hermanium
-Form Fitness

*for the town of Middleton helping us again with planning and approval

*for the Earth Day planning committee for allowing us to sync up with their weekend organizing and planning

*for so many of our community volunteering and helping us (Middleton rail trail committee and many many others!)

*for our neighborhood (Brigadoon!) being so cooperative and supportive of our event

*for all of the trotters joining us on the route

*for all of the donations that have been sent
in, in Theodore’s name

*for EVERTHING!!! ❤️😘🥰😍🤗🥹

Thank you for helping our hearts.
Thank you for listening to our story and celebrating Theodore’s life with us.

Love and hugs and peace to you all.

If you have any pictures to share - please do! Thanks again for a wonderful event!

So grateful for a lovely event with beautiful weather! Thanks so much for your help as well, Theodore! 😇😉🌟

Please come join us rain or shine for the second annual Theodore Trot this Saturday (Apr 29th) at 9 am! A 2-mile event to spread love and togetherness in our community in honor of Theodore Warren McBride! ❤️🌟👼

Come race with me! - The Theodore Trot

To guarantee an amazing tshirt shown below - please register by or before Apr 20th! (As we need to provide tshirt info to vendor to finalize order).

Online race sign up will remain open up until Apr 28th. You can register for the race on the day of (Apr 29th) in person as well! Tshirt supply and sizes will just be first come first serve!

Looking forward to trotting with you!!! 💙🌟

We appreciate everyone’s help spreading the word to encourage more to join in!

And appreciate so many of our community’s businesses sponsoring in this event!!! 💖

—————————
In loving memory and celebration of Theodore Warren McBride’s life - The Theodore Trot will be held April 29, 2023 at 9 am in Middleton, Massachusetts USA. Please see the attached flyer for more details about the run. You can also show support by donating to any of the charities listed below.

Race proceeds and donations will go to the following organizations or to make a direct donation, please click on any of the links below.

Johns Hopkins

https://makeagift.jhu.edu/form/Jelin

Children’s House

https://believeintomorrow.rallybound.org/ForTheodoreTrot

Boston Children’s Hospital

http://fundraise.childrenshospital.org/goto/theodoretrot

Please come trot with us to celebrate Theodore’s life!

The Theodore Trot will be held April 29, 2023 at 9 am in Middleton, Massachusetts USA. thetheodoretrot.racewire.com

Please see the attached flyer or this Theodore Trot page for more details about the event. You can also show support by donating to any of the charities listed below.

I am thankful for each and every day – this would be my chant/prayer each and every day when Theodore was in my belly and continuing to develop and be alive despite the odds. When he was born and would overcome challenge after challenge – I would give thanks for all that I have been gifted with. Today I continue to be grateful for so much, to have the luxury to experience joy and life, including the beautiful 2 years we were blessed with our little Theodore. Of course, I miss him so much and wish each and every second that I could still hold him, hug and kiss him, help him grow and develop, take care of him, tickle him, make him laugh, hear his excited little giggles and coos, smell his sweet smell, touch his soft, silky hair… but I have to settle for a different way/sense to enjoy his presence now – feeling and seeing his love everywhere. It’s amazing that one can truly be happy and sad at the same time – grateful to have this new balance. For me, the sadness doesn’t go away but I can still experience joy. For me, it has been my realization that it’s not a healable wound…but that we can live life fully in honor of it. I continue to learn and relate to different things, viewpoints, and have my own internal epiphany as I push forward. Grateful for the ability to do that!

As part of this event for our family and the community - we are raising money in loving memory and celebration of Theodore Warren McBride’s life. Appreciate any support! We hope this helps support others as well!

Race proceeds and donations will go to the following organizations or to make a direct donation, please click on any of the links below.

Johns Hopkins

https://makeagift.jhu.edu/form/Jelin

Children’s House

https://believeintomorrow.rallybound.org/ForTheodoreTrot

Boston Children’s Hospital

http://fundraise.childrenshospital.org/goto/theodoretrot

Thank you for taking time to read this post! Appreciate your help and support! Best wishes.

Help Me Help Kids at Boston Children's Hospital I'm fundraising for Boston Children's life-saving work. Will you support my efforts? Visit my fundraising page to donate.

Come trot with us to celebrate Theodore's life!
thetheodoretrot.racewire.com

The Theodore Star
After Theodore passed away, a great aunt and uncle named a star after him. But this was just a coincidental formality…Theodore became a star right before our very eyes on the night he went to heaven…
It all started over 3 years ago, maybe even prior. We had prayed and prayed for another baby, a sibling for our beautiful and loving daughter, Vanessa. Our prayers were answered. But it wasn’t soon thereafter at a checkup appointment, that our bliss was quickly met with worry and challenges when we learned that our little baby was made without any kidneys. Regardless of an incredibly grim prognosis, we sought for a solution where there seemingly were none. We ended up temporarily relocating to Baltimore so we could seek help at Johns Hopkins. Without the ability to produce urine (or amniotic fluid) on his own, our little baby’s lungs and development were severely at risk. So we did our best to take care of this precious baby in my belly in all ways possible. Grateful for inclusion in a medical trial, I underwent amino-infusions to help our little baby boy continue to grow and develop. And when it was time for him to be born, his beautiful cry filled the room, a miracle in and of itself, a great sign that his lungs indeed developed!
A gift from God, and as such we fittingly named him Theodore. The next hours, days, months, and 2 years were filled with challenges, obstacles, and more worries – but they were also filled with unending love, family bonding, and so many wonderful experiences. Theodore the Warrior would overcome obstacle after obstacle. Every day it was actually quite simple to push on, to do all that my husband and I were tasked with, to help Theodore thrive, and to be happy as a family and enjoy each and every moment. Because Theodore taught us that and he set the bar.
So when Theodore had to go to the hospital for the last time and things escalated quickly to ICU-level, we knew the drill, we were just supposed to be super strong like he was – figure this out and get him well and back home. We prayed for him to overcome while never losing hope or faith. Yet he was called to the stars… Confused, devastated, heartbroken…we had to leave the hospital without our little boy that night. But he gave us a parting gift – to all be together even in that moment. And as we all held each other and cried after those last few moments before Theodore left on his new eternal journey, sad at our loss, missing our precious Theodore – Vanessa abruptly paused and said I have a secret – and she shared with me that she had just seen a star twinkle ever so brightly above us. Vanessa discovered and realized that her brother had found his new home. The Theodore Star. And she said “guess what else Mama – I saw some glittering dots falling underneath – I think Theodore just made p*e p*e!”

Info about this Memorial Event:
Theodore had just celebrated his second birthday one month before he had to go to heaven, so we have elected this to be an annual 2-mile race in honor of the beautiful time we had with him here on Earth. The race will start in the old golf course parking lot, have a brief cross-country-like stretch through a few holes on the old par3 golf course, loop around the Brigadoon neighborhood, and then finish back in the golf course parking lot. Runners, trotters, walkers, strollers, or even just spectators are all welcome!

We have enjoyed stroller walks with our daughter when we first moved into the Brigadoon neighborhood and have loved all of our time here. As such, we decided to organize this very meaningful memorial race in honor of our Theodore, to take place in our neighborhood, as it’s full of so many beautiful family memories. It is so special to commemorate our stroller walks with him and have this be an annual event. We hope you can join us! - Theodore (and all the special stars of everyone's hearts) will surely be soaring with us through this course as we remember and celebrate together!

Race proceeds and donations will go to the following organizations –
(To make a direct donation, please click on any of the links below)

Johns Hopkins
After we were blessed with the creation of Theodore, our journey continued through the amazing help of Johns Hopkins. We are forever grateful to the care, help, and hope that was possible thanks to Johns Hopkins. So many groups and departments to thank - Center for Fetal Therapy, the amazing Labor and Delivery Department, the NICU, the Bloomberg Children’s Center, to name a few. All possible opportunities we had the pleasure of experiencing, thanks to inclusion in a medical trial. As such, there’s a special fund we would like to help raise money for (God bless him and his family) -
https://makeagift.jhu.edu/form/Jelin

Children’s House
During our time at Johns Hopkins, we were so appreciative of being able to stay just a short walk from Johns Hopkins at the Children’s House. Thanks to the hospitality, warmth, and hope that filled each and every day there – ‘believing in tomorrow’ was an easy task with so much positivity surrounding us. We are so thankful being part of that community – so we would like to give back to help more families that need to seek care at Johns Hopkins.
https://believeintomorrow.rallybound.org/ForTheodoreTrot

Boston Children’s Hospital
After our time at Johns Hopkins and the Children’s House, we were grateful to make our trek back home and continue care at Boston Children’s Hospital (B*H). During all of our hospital trips and stays - it was very much appreciated to have a gift card for meals, or our parking fee paid, or even a hotel night. The monetary portions of these gifts were very generous - but the part of these gifts that were the most appreciated were that it allowed us to focus on our family and be together - worth more than gold. We elected to list this fund again (same as last year, The Extraordinary Funds at Boston Children's Hospital) as it truly can touch so many families, regardless of their reason for seeking care at B*H.
http://fundraise.childrenshospital.org/goto/theodoretrot

Jessica's Fundraising Page at Believe In Tomorrow Children's Foundation Please help us support Believe In Tomorrow Children's Foundation by making a contribution to The Theodore Trot fundraiser and sharing this page with your family and friends. Every dollar raised will advance Believe In Tomorrow Children's Foundation's great cause! During our time at Johns Hopkins, we...

Thanks again everyone!!! So honored to have created this special tribute of stars with you all and have the ability to write this amount on check to B*H! ❤️👏🏻. THANK YOU ALL!

***TODAY is the last day to register ONLINE for The Theodore Trot!

If you miss the online registration window - no worries! - you can still sign up on race day before event (Sat., Apr 30th, @ 9 am).

We are looking forward to trotting with everyone! 🌟❤️***

Thank you to everyone who has already signed up for The Theodore Trot on Saturday, April 30!

To register to run or walk, visit: www.thetheodoretrot.racewire.com

Can’t make the event but want to support our efforts? Donate directly by visiting: http://fundraise.childrenshospital.org/goto/theodoretrot

Thank you for your support!

Help Me Help Kids at Boston Children's Hospital Do anything you love to fundraise for Boston Children's Hospital.

Always so content...at hospital, no matter what...taught us so much about life. We miss you so much, Theodore - you sweet, sweet little boy.

Theodore had just celebrated his second birthday one month before he had to go to heaven, so we have elected this to be a 2-mile race in honor of the beautiful time we had with him here on Earth. The race will start in the old golf course parking lot, have a brief cross-country-like stretch through a few holes on the old par3 golf course, loop around the Brigadoon neighborhood, and then finish back in the golf course parking lot. Runners, trotters, walkers, strollers, or even just spectators are all welcome!
We have enjoyed stroller walks with our daughter when we first moved into the Brigadoon neighborhood and have loved all of our time here. As such, we decided to organize this very meaningful memorial race in honor of our Theodore, to take place in our neighborhood, as it’s full of so many beautiful family memories. It is so special to commemorate our stroller walks with him and hopefully have this be an annual event. We hope you can join us! - Theodore (and all the special stars of our hearts) will surely be soaring with us through this course as we remember and celebrate together!
_____________
Of course, this isn’t how we imagined sharing our beautiful little boy with the world… Perhaps it would have been through celebrating an exciting milestone and/or when he eventually would have been lucky enough to have received a kidney…
Theodore had all sorts of challenges from prenatal life which only continued throughout all of his life…but he would move past each complication, rise above each difficulty, overcome each obstacle…one by one…seemingly by magic. Surpass expectation after expectation. Defy odds. So when Theodore’s condition escalated to the ICU level during his final hospital trip last fall…we definitely weren’t thinking the worst. We continued to be strong, pray constantly, and just exude love and hope like always. Our mantra was always the same - let’s get this figured out, get him well, and get back home so we can continue our journey to transplant! But this time was different…and we don’t know why. Theodore’s condition and lab values and symptoms weren’t lining up… We don’t know why Theodore’s strong body couldn’t do it anymore. We don’t know how or what caused things to go downhill so quickly. But our little boy was able to do so, so much, in so little of time. To be alive and live! – despite having a condition that is deemed fatal. We are so lucky to have been given the opportunity to help him and give him all of the chances he deserved. We wish we could still.
This race is an outlet for us to celebrate Theodore, to remember him, to continue to give him all the love that he deserves. But also this is a chance to spread hope and love with you all, to share a powerful message to never give up!
Our days were spent loving and caring for that little boy and we yearn we still would have the privilege to do so. Yes, there were lots of medical interventions and complexity to our days – nightly dialysis, tube feedings, medicines to compensate for what Theodore’s amazing body couldn’t do on it’s own. Lots of specialist appointments - physical therapy, sp*ech and feeding therapy, neurology, hematology, orthopedics, ophthalmology, to name a few. BUT – his days were also filled with cuddles, giggling, love, family time, eating/drinking, playing, biking – experiencing as much as possible for all that life has to offer. We are so grateful that we did. Thanks for sharing in our memories and love of Theodore as well with this race, with a donation, and/or just simply by reading this and honoring his memory!

Theodore filled our lives with joy, love, hope, gratitude, courage – each day lived to the fullest. We miss him immensely – a huge void in our daily routine – so we poured our love and energy into this event in order to honor Theodore and also to give back through donation.
This memorial event is one way for us to channel all of the love with have for him into a positive activity to bring love and hope and friendship to our community. Thanks for helping us make this possible – we look forward to trotting together.
There are a lot of other venues we would like to give back, to say thanks to all of the organizations that helped us on our journey. We hope this to be an annual event through which we will continue to grow awareness, spread love and hope, and generate more and more donation opportunities.

The Theodore Trot updated their info in the about section.

https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fsecure.childrenshospital.org%2Fsite%2FTR%2FDIYFundraiser%2FGeneral%3Fpx%3D2628396%26pg%3Dpersonal%26fr_id%3D2172%26fbclid%3DIwAR2zb1tVyDSCk6GVwzn01lG2vu0Q-EiKB8uKT9qNxTOE9oz6jgPs7NrXkQI&h=AT2_ROWcqnMzxKkw8f0Xgr0Lky1qcvdZTHYqBTWxoEQwXjoJ7Zeb_QmgZzKpdPODqD_RzFTxfKW6i57AOxk4hVjV8Zr1Hh275m45TpRiAtlaDolI3cVW0IXHKigb_vcDIwvGYCiLdJDX2q5LeXY4&__tn__=R]-R&c[0]=AT1hcSzAUDAQCRioY2JmCiany_JokpzUQTZ5R0n3s-dKD6T6sslAJ3tNiwKH5Fj4n-KwgefFFr0Ngr6Nwkw4k03invi9Uq_cvPU3RVZibs7IsLfxhHHZzB8l_RPQ4TcAtRU0cxUp3lq06DsoaAfVntGbh-An8KSUT8gSUFXVfGo1v_ehMDh_ZssLk0U7RGhJzVYaFHy7jtJN-ufGkQ

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