Avery’s Bucket List: Blog Created by Parents of Dying Infant Goes Viral

Yesterday we posted one of the most awful death news articles ever. Today we are posting the most beautiful yet heart wrenching story about a 5 month old baby girl who has been given just 13 months to live after being diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). With the help of her parents Avery has created a “Bucket List” , and what a list it is. Avery Canahuati has already had her first kiss, her first tattoo (temporary), and her first trip to college. Avery’s Bucket List was created and put online April 9th, 2012 with the purpose of letting their daughter live and educating other people about SMA. Instead of wallowing in sadness, Avery’s parents decided to make the most of the time she has. “We can watch her die, or we can let her live,” Michael said. “And through letting her live we’re going to try and educate other people about this so they don’t have to go through it too.”

Avery’s blog, “Avery’s Bucket List,” created by her parents but written in her voice, has received over 100,000 page views (one item on the bucket list) and has more than 4,000 followers. Actually at the time of this article (Monday April 30th, 2012) the blog has gone viral receiving ver 2.1 million views and 4,692 followers. Her Facebook Fan Page has over 107,000 fans, with over 75,000 actively engaging with the Page.

Under the header image of her “Bucket List” Avery writes, “Imagine you’ve been diagnosed with an incurable genetic disease and you are told you will not only lose your ability to walk and move your arms, but you will die between now and the next 18 months. What would you do? My name is Avery Lynn Canahuati, I’m almost 5 months old, and this has become my reality. But before I die, there’s a few things I’d like to accomplish…this is my bucket list and my story. SHARE IT & HELP ME TELL THE WORLD ABOUT SMA!”

The bucket list includes milestones in every child’s life – from sitting up, kissing her mom and dad, to having a birthday party, meeting Santa Claus, losing a tooth, visiting college and more. “We have our days, it’s not that we don’t,” said Avery’s father, who writes the blog in his daughter’s voice. “The blog made it into … ‘Let’s go to the Canahuatis and smile at Avery and appreciate life instead of crying.” “I have a lot of living to do in just a little bit of time,” Avery “writes” on the blog. “In everything I do, the two most important things are that I’m spending time with my mommy & daddy, while at the same time spreading awareness for SMA.”

Read More about Avery’s Bucket List here: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-57424030-10391704/averys-bucket-list-parents-pen-blog-for-baby-dying-of-spinal-muscular-atrophy/
Read More about SMA here: http://www.fsma.org/

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Ryan Thogmartin

CEO at DISRUPT Media and ConnectingDirector.com

Ryan Thogmartin is the Owner and CEO of DISRUPT Media. DISRUPT Media is a full service social media agency specializing in social media strategy, management and reporting for funeral companies. DISRUPT Media is the creator of the FUNERAL Social Design Process which is the only full service social media strategy program crafted specifically for the funeral profession.

Go to http://funeralsocial.com to find out more about the services we offer. Our clients who are apart of our FUNERAL Social Design Process are seeing an increase in post reach and engagement of over 300%.

Ryan is also the founder of ConnectingDirectors.com. ConnectingDirectors.com is the leading online daily publication for funeral professionals with a reader base of over 45,000 of the most elite and forward-thinking professionals in the profession. With ConnectingDirectors.com Ryan has created a global community through an online platform allowing funeral professionals to Stay Current. Stay Informed and Stay Elite.

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