Robert Anthony Eriksson Foundation

09/21/2026

09/21/2026

Hey, Char here. 5 years. Robbie had changed his Twitter profile pictures to these and the last entry in his todo list was Psalms 23. I won’t pretend to know why, but it is precious to me. I wrote this in memory of Robbie.

An Ode to My Life

I was here.

Not only on September 21.
Please don’t start there.

Start with the boy
who chased fireflies in the backyard,
who sat around the fire eating s’mores,
who played piano and violin
and occasionally believed the world
needed one more ridiculous joke.
I was the kid who could think too much,
work too hard,
ask questions nobody else was asking.
I loved economics.
I loved shoes.
I loved football.
I loved music.
I wrote poems.

I noticed people.

The person sitting alone.
The stranger on an airplane.
Someone who might need prayer.

I loved quietly sometimes.
But quietly doesn’t mean
less.

I had people who loved me, too.

Sisters who shared a childhood with me.
A mama.
A dad.
Family.
Friends.

And yes, there was pain.
There were days when my mind became
a place too difficult to explain.

But please-
do not take the hardest moments of my life
and use them to explain all the others.

Twenty years cannot be reduced
to one September day.

I was here.

I learned.
I laughed.
I argued.
I accomplished things.
I loved people.
I prayed.
I played music.
I made mistakes.
I dreamed.

I lived.

And if you need to know something about
the last pages of my earthly story,
perhaps this is enough:

Psalms 23.

The Shepherd knew my name.

So when you remember me,
don’t stand forever at the ending.
Go backward.
Tell the stories again.
Laugh at the ridiculous ones.
Especially those.

You don’t have to hold on to September 21
to hold on to me.
My life was so much bigger than that day.

Twenty years happened before it.
Twenty beautiful, complicated,
ordinary, extraordinary years.
And perhaps eternity is not an ending either.

Perhaps it is the place
where all the unfinished music
finally resolves.

So until you hear it-
live.
Love people well.
Sit beside the hurting.
Say my name.
Tell them I was here.

And when the world becomes quiet enough,
listen.
I think you’ll know.

I’m still singing.

09/10/2026

Hey, this is Char. Pain doesn’t always look like pain.

Looking back, I can see that my son Robbie was hurting. Toward the end of his life, I began to see some of that pain. I knew he needed help. What I could not imagine was that I would lose him to su***de.

After a su***de, people naturally search for answers.

Did you see it coming?
Were there signs?
Why did he do it?
Was there something that could have been done differently?

I understand the desire to make sense of something that feels impossible to understand. I have asked enough questions of myself.

But nearly five years later, I have learned something else that I want people to know.

When someone has experienced a devastating loss, sometimes the most compassionate thing you can offer is not a question.

It is your presence.

Sit beside the mother who cannot make sense of a world that continues without her child. Sit beside the father, the sister, the brother, the spouse, the friend. Let them tell the story when they want to tell it. Let them be silent when they cannot.

You do not have to solve their grief.
You do not have to understand their loss.
And you do not have to find the right words.

Sometimes love simply sits beside suffering and stays.

Because grief like this does not have an expiration date. We learn to carry what cannot be changed, and we need people who are willing to walk beside us without demanding answers to questions that may never have them.

Pain doesn’t always look like pain.

And compassion doesn’t always need words

09/01/2026

Hey, Char here!

September is National Su***de Prevention Awareness Month. It is also the month we lost Robbie.

Five years ago this September, I lost my son Robbie…one of the most treasured gifts God ever entrusted to me…to su***de. I knew the deep pain of losing him, but I did not yet know the road that grief would ask me to walk.

In those first bewildering days, I remember wondering who I was. I had lived so much of my life as Robbie and Lauren’s mom. How could I possibly go forward without my son? The truth is, I didn’t know how.

But here I am.

I did not arrive here by leaving Robbie behind. I came forward carrying him….through tears, prayer, questions, advocacy, memories, and a hope that sometimes felt no larger than my next breath.

As I enter the fifth September since his death, I am willing and able to lean into this month differently. I will tell the truth about su***de and the devastating grief it leaves behind. But I will also carry a message of hope. Survival does not require forgetting. Healing does not erase love. And the way someone died does not define the beauty of the life they lived.

Five years later, I am still Robbie’s mother. I still know his song. I was blessed with a front-row seat…and I will keep helping the world hear it.

Here I am. Hope is still present. And Robbie still sings.

08/08/2026

Hey, Char here. Robbie and Lauren’s mom. Today is Robbie’s birthday and I wrote a letter to him and us!

Happy Birthday, Robbie. 💙

Twenty-five years ago today, you made me a mom. August 8 will forever be one of the most beautiful days of my life because it is the day you were born.

I wish more than anything that I could celebrate with you today—to hear your laugh, hug you, and tell you in person how very much I love you. Instead, I will honor the life you lived and the love you left behind.

So today, for Robbie’s birthday, I have a simple request:

Do one intentional act of kindness. 💙💜

Buy someone a cup of coffee. Send the text you’ve been meaning to send. Check on someone who has been quiet. Give a little more grace. Tell someone they matter. Sit with someone who needs to be heard.

It doesn’t have to be big. Kindness rarely does.

If you do something in Robbie’s honor today, I would love for you to share it below—or simply say, “For Robbie.” Maybe together we can fill his birthday with little acts of love scattered everywhere like wildflowers. 🌱

Robbie, my forever is never without you.

Happy Birthday, my beautiful son.
Love, Mom 💙

PS I love this picture of Robbie when he was 5 ❤️

08/04/2026

As summer begins to wind down, we're reminded that healing doesn't happen on a timeline. 💙

This August, the Center for Hope & Healing is offering several opportunities for connection, support, and reflection for those navigating grief and loss. Whether you're looking for community, conversation, or a new way to engage with your grief, we invite you to join us.

Take a look at our upcoming groups and programs.

Learn more on our website 🔗BlueRidgeCare.org

08/04/2026

📚✏️ Virginia Tax-Free Weekend is almost here!

From August 7-9, Virginia shoppers can take advantage of tax-free savings on qualifying purchases. It's the perfect time to get ready for the school year while stretching your budget a little further.

Visit your local Blue Ridge Care Thrift Shop and discover affordable clothing, shoes, accessories, books, and more while supporting compassionate care in our community.

For details on eligible tax-free items, please refer to official Virginia Tax-Free Weekend resources at https://www.tax.virginia.gov/virginia-sales-tax-holiday

07/31/2026

💜 Thank you to the Fraternal Order of Elks Lodge 867 for your generous $500 sponsorship in support of our 4th Annual Conversations event.

Although your contribution was received after the event, your support means so much and helps us continue our mission of raising awareness for mental health and su***de prevention. We are truly grateful for your generosity and commitment to making a difference in our community.

Thank you for being part of the conversation. 💜

***dePrevention CommunitySupport RAEFoundation

07/29/2026

Thank you, IGO! 💜
A huge thank you to the International Association of Government Officials for raising funds during their conference this past week to support the RAE Foundation. Your generosity and commitment to our mission mean so much to us. Together, we’re making a difference in mental health awareness and su***de prevention.