"Bird Eggs May be Icky"

At age seven, Aaron was all boy. Blond, happy, mischievous, sensitive - all these adjectives, and more, describe this lively young member of the household of Brent and Allayne Orr, parents to Aaron and four other well-loved children.
In the month of April of 1987, Aaron was diagnosed with Burkitt's lymphoma, a less common variety of cancer - and the world that was the Orr household changed forever. It was the beginning of a year-long struggle for the life of this remarkable child, a struggle that was eventually lost on Good Friday morning, April 1, 1988.
During this challenging year, Allayne and Brent, recognizing the life-changing nature of what the family was going through, kept a journal in order to chronicle the events as they occurred.
Because of the tender nature of the loss of Aaron, the journal remained untouched for years. It was only in 1999 that a transcription of the journal was undertaken. And, even then, it was an on-again off-again, four year labor of love, emotion and living that year over again and again before a final record was completed.
Finishing the record of that last year in Aaron's life was a cathartic experience for Allayne and Brent. They recognized that in it was manifest not just challenge and heart ache, trials and tribulations, but also great blessings, great comfort, and marvelous insight into what is truly important in life.
Since its completion, Allayne and Brent have shared the journal with family members and close friends. But on occasion it has also been shared with almost total strangers who had reason to mourn and grieve, and who were seeking peace and comfort for their souls. This special document about a remarkable young boy and the faith and trust he and his family demonstrated on a daily basis as he, at such a young age, dealt as best he could with his own mortality, has often been the source of that peace and comfort for these seekers.
Several items of special significance are included in this record:
The history of Aaron's treatment;
The excerpts from a powerful, spiritual blessing given to him by his patriarch grandfather, for whom he was a namesake, just two weeks before Aaron's death;
The heart rending, yet tender, account of his passing;
A transcription of his spiritual and comforting funeral service.
And woven through it all are beautiful accounts of faith and hope confirmed by the spiritual manifestations of a loving and caring Father in Heaven.
It is for these reasons that Brent and Allayne have decided to share this deeply personal memoir of their son, Aaron, with the broader public. Aaron's story is meant to give comfort to those who have cause to mourn, to bring hope and trust to those who are facing life-altering challenges. His story also adds several dimensions of understanding for those who are seeking to know the deeper meaning and purpose of life and who are seeking a better understanding of God's relationship with His earthly sons and daughters.