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'In print forever': 9-year-old boy who died unexpectedly becomes hero of his own book

'In print forever': 9-year-old boy who died unexpectedly becomes hero of his own book
SPREAD KINDNESS. DON’T BE MEAN YOU ROCK SHINE. THESE ARE JJ’S WORDS TO OTHERS AS WRITTEN OUT IN CHALK BEFORE HE DIED. IT’S ONLY FITTING THIS IS THE COVER OF A NEW CHILDREN’S BOOK LOVE LIKE JJ AND THEN YOU CAN HAVE HIM IN PRINT FOREVER. AND FOR ANYBODY WHO WOULD WANT A COPY. I MEAN, IT’S JU IT LEAVES ME SPEECHLESS SINCE JJ’S DEATH IN JANUARY. THE DAY FAMILY HAS HONORED THE NINE YEAR OLD THROUGH RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS HOSTING FUNDRAISERS AND CREATING A FOUNDATION IN JJ’S NAME. YOU CAN EITHER SUCCUMB OR YOU CAN DO JUST FELT LIKE THE RIGHT THING TO JUST SAY. ALL RIGHT. WELL, JJ CAN’T DO LET’S DO FOR HIM. WE WANT TO JUST REALLY HELP PEOPLE. THAT’S KIND OF WHAT WE INSTILLED IN OUR FAMILY AND IN JJ NOW, THEY’LL BE HELPING EVEN MORE FAMILIES WITH PROCEEDS FROM THIS BOOK. SARAH CURRY RAFFLE IS THE AUTHOR AND FOUNDER OF A NON-PROFIT CALLED SMILE BOOKS PROJECT. SHE SAYS HER GOAL IS TO SHARE WHO JJ W MASON THIRD GRADER WITH AN EXPLOSIVE PERSONALITY ALWAYS THE ENTERTAINER MAKING OTHERS LAUGH INSTANTLY WALKING IN THE ROOM. I COULD FEEL HIS PRESENCE IN HIS PICTURES. YOU CAN SEE HIS PERSONALITY HIS SMILE HIS POSES EVERYTHING ABOUT HIM. I COULD FEEL IT. EVEN IF SHE CAN’T FILL THE VOID IN THE DAY’S HEARTS. I KNOW THE THING I CAN DO IS HELP GIVE THEM A WAY TO CELEBRATE THE LIFE OF THEIR CHILD AND MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE SAY HIS NAME AGAIN BY MAKING JJ THE HERO OF HIS BOOK FOR STONE EXCRUCIATING PAIN, BUT THIS IS THE BEST WAY THAT WE CAN LOVE HIM RIGHT NOW. TODAY THE AUTHOR SHARED A LITTLE BIT OF A SURPRISE. WITH KRISTIN DAY. SHE SAID SHE RECENTLY DID A ZOOM CALL WITH JJ’S THIRD DAY THIRD GRADE CLASS AT MASON ELEMENTARY. SCHOOL THEY SHARED STORIES ABOUT HIM AND SOME OF WHAT THEY SAID IS GOING TO BE IN THIS BOOK FOR DETAILS ON HOW TO ORDER GO TO OUR WEBSITE WLWT.COM REP
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'In print forever': 9-year-old boy who died unexpectedly becomes hero of his own book
"Don't be mean." "You rock." "Shine."Those are 9-year-old JJ Day's words to others that he wrote out in chalk before he died unexpectedly in January.It's only fitting the cover of a new children's book, "Love like JJ" was inspired by a photo of JJ taken on the day he wrote those positive messages in a driveway."You can have him in print forever and for anyone who would want a copy. It just leaves me speechless," JJ's mother Kristen Day said.Since JJ's death, the Day family has honored the Mason third-grader through random acts of kindness, hosting fundraisers and creating a foundation in JJ's name."You can either succumb or you can do," Day said. "We just felt like the right thing to say is, 'Alright, JJ can't do. Let's do for him' ... We really just want to help people. That's kind of what we instilled in our family and in JJ."Now, they'll be helping even more families with proceeds from the book.Sarah Curry Rathel is the author and founder of a nonprofit group called Smile Books Project.She said her goal is to share who JJ was. He was a kid with an explosive personality who loved to entertain and make others laugh."Instantly, walking in the room I could feel his presence in his pictures. You can see his personality. His smile. His poses. Everything about him, I could feel it," Curry Rathel said.Even if she can't fill the void in the Days' hearts, Curry Rathel said she can help them honor JJ. "I know the thing I can do is help give them a way to celebrate the life of their child and make sure people say his name again," Curry Rathel said.And, she made him the hero of his own book. "We're still in excruciating pain, but this is the best way that we can love him right now," Day said.Day said she hopes the book inspires others to do the right thing.More information and details on how to order a copy can be found here.

"Don't be mean." "You rock." "Shine."

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Those are 9-year-old JJ Day's words to others that he wrote out in chalk before he died unexpectedly in January.

It's only fitting the cover of a new children's book, "Love like JJ" was inspired by a photo of JJ taken on the day he wrote those positive messages in a driveway.

"You can have him in print forever and for anyone who would want a copy. It just leaves me speechless," JJ's mother Kristen Day said.

Since JJ's death, the Day family has honored the Mason third-grader through random acts of kindness, hosting fundraisers and creating a foundation in JJ's name.

"You can either succumb or you can do," Day said. "We just felt like the right thing to say is, 'Alright, JJ can't do. Let's do for him' ... We really just want to help people. That's kind of what we instilled in our family and in JJ."

Now, they'll be helping even more families with proceeds from the book.

Sarah Curry Rathel is the author and founder of a nonprofit group called Smile Books Project.

She said her goal is to share who JJ was. He was a kid with an explosive personality who loved to entertain and make others laugh.

"Instantly, walking in the room I could feel his presence in his pictures. You can see his personality. His smile. His poses. Everything about him, I could feel it," Curry Rathel said.

Even if she can't fill the void in the Days' hearts, Curry Rathel said she can help them honor JJ.

"I know the thing I can do is help give them a way to celebrate the life of their child and make sure people say his name again," Curry Rathel said.

And, she made him the hero of his own book.

"We're still in excruciating pain, but this is the best way that we can love him right now," Day said.

Day said she hopes the book inspires others to do the right thing.

More information and details on how to order a copy can be found here.