Danielle's Dolls and Robbie's Warriors

Why we do what we do:


I lost both my children in a two year span. My daughter Danielle died in March 2014 by su***de after a life long battle with depression and serious health issues. My son Robbie passed away in June of 2016 from an accidental overdose. My children were far from perfect, like all kids there were times when they were downright awful, but they were truly kind hearted, generous a

nd compassionate people. Danielle, as depressed as she was most of the time always managed to find a smile for those who needed it most. She felt the pain of others, often too strongly, their pain became her pain. Robbie’s main goal his whole life was to make others smile, laugh and feel good. He would give the shirt off his back and his last dollar if it meant he could bring a true smile to someone’s face. A couple weeks before Christmas 2014, our first Christmas without Danielle, someone said to me, “When you’re grieving sometimes it helps to give.” Such wise words they were. That was the start of the Danielle’s Dolls Toy Drive. Danielle spent many nights in the hospital as a teenager and adult. As a young adult, some of her health issues were better treated by a pediatrician so she spent several nights on the pediatric floor at Cleveland Clinic. Nothing made her smile more during that stay than the visits from the “toy lady.” It was silly but she loved getting a coloring book, a craft kit or a stuffed animal. There is just no better way to honor her memory than by helping the Toy Lady bring that same smile, that same silliness to others. Robbie loved the idea of the toy drive and got such a kick of wheeling our boxes to the volunteer room at Children’s Hospital, tossing stuffed animals to every kid he passed along the way. When Robbie died in 2016 my already broken heart shattered to pieces but I had to keep going, I had to get up every day, I had to figure out how to live. And I also had to find a way to give, a way to honor his life. That Thanksgiving a local family lost everything in a house fire. Robbie’s house was sitting empty so we offered to let them stay there while they rebuilt. There were three kids who just lost everything and Christmas was right around the corner. There was my answer, Robbie’s Warriors was born. Making smiles, creating some happiness was what mattered most to Robbie. Knowing that we help the Toy Lady bring smiles to the faces of hundreds of hospitalized children, that we are giving a true Christmas to three families that may not have had one otherwise-well I know my kids are looking down and smiling, I know they are proud. My heart is still shattered and will never be whole, but giving absolutely helps grieving. From the bottom of my shattered heart, I thank each and every one of you for helping me honor the lives of my children by spreading smiles and happiness.