From Team Haris with Love

In the six months since our son Haris passed I have shed a lot of tears. Most of them have been the reflection of a gut-wrenching sadness I would wish on no one.

But over the last week, as friends, family and complete strangers rallied to support Team Haris in the March for Babies, I’ve been shedding a different kind of tears.

It began with Pauline (a.k.a. @aspiringmama), author of the poignant blog Aspiring Mama, who first urged us to start the team and then became its’ greatest champion.

She signed up to walk in support of our family in Arizona even though the rest of the team would march in Florida. She blogged it. She called her family and friends…. And then she went off the deep end.

In an incredibly ballsy move, Pauline committed to baring her early morning Mexi-fro for the world to see on her blog if she met her goal.

And who is Pauline to me that she was willing to put so much on the line for my son?

A stranger. Someone who until a couple of months I didn’t know existed.

As the clock began to wind down to the beginning of the April 24 event, I put out the call on my blog and via Twitter. Who would join me in the quest to see that infamous Mexi-fro?

The Answer? AMAZING.

Support poured in from around the twitterverse with donations, promises of matching funds and RTs galore from @blogdangerously, @DeniseMSwank, @sneakpeekatme, @craftycmc, @bettyviolablue, @Sinfully_Cute, @bdmiller3132, @Sparrowbug, @ape131313, @kristiecookauth and dozens more. Again, with a couple exceptions, people who are strangers to me, my family and Pauline.

In the end, Team Haris marched the day with 9 walkers in two States and raised $3,300.00 to help give babies a better start in the world!

Anyone who doubts the ability of social media to bring people together around a good cause needs only look at the example of Team Haris for the March of Babies.

Oh, and if you’re wondering why there are pictures of people with their arms out around nothing? That was Team Haris Florida’s way to recognize those (like Pauline) who were with us but not physically present as we marched!

So thank you, Twitter and all my wonderful Twals, for your willingness to reach out to strangers and lend a helping hand – you are ALL amazing and we are blessed to have you as a part of our lives (if only virtually)!