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Aliviah Gridley

October 24, 2003 - December 30, 2005

On December 30, 2005 we found ourselves in the middle of a parent’s worst nightmare. Our beautiful baby girl had been backed over accidentally by an uncle who absolutely adored her.

Our little princess was born October 24, 2003. She was our youngest child, our second daughter after two energetic boys. She was everything a Father and Mother could want in a daughter. She loved babies and was all girl. She loved her hair bows, shoes, dolls, purses and animals. Especially Kittens. She loved wrestling with her Daddy, singing, and being read to. Most of all she loved people. She did not meet a stranger. There is no way to measure the joy and love she brought in our home. She was the center of our lives.

On that terrible day in December, we had gathered with my husbands’ family in South Carolina to celebrate Christmas. I was inside doing some laundry and Aliviah had just come inside the house with my husband. She climbed up in my lap, gave me a kiss and a hug, told me she loved me and climbed down. That was the last time I held my baby alive.

She went back outside with her Daddy to join the other family members in the yard. Our dogs leashes had gotten tangled so Tim, my husband, had to unhook them to get them untangled. The dogs ran away and my husband ran after them. My husbands’ brother, in an attempt to help, jumped in his truck to go after them. He had to walk behind the truck to get in so there was no one behind the truck when he went to leave. As he backed up with my oldest daughter in the truck, he was checking behind him. Aliviah had been playing on a jungle gym to the left as they were leaving.

As quick as a little one could run, she darted behind the truck before anyone could realize it. Because of blind spots, lack of information, and technology that should have already been installed, our daughter was backed over.
It is too late for Aliviah, but not for your loved one. It is our hope and prayer that our story can prevent this tragedy from happening in some one else’s life. We know that God does not make mistakes, but people do. Car manufactures do. These accidents are preventable. They can happen to the best of parents. Doctors, Firefighters, Teachers, Reporters, and Police Officers have all been parents of children who have died this way. It happened to us, it can happen to you.

Through all this tragedy, God has been so good to us. We must lift up the name of Jesus. Through Him we have the victory. He has been an ever present help in our time of trouble. He has prepared a beautiful place for us to be with Aliviah for all eternity if we trust and obey Him. Through His blood shed on Calvary He delivered us from all our sins. He has been our Rock and Hightower. We just can’t praise Him enough.

For Aliviah’s sake: Parents speak out against preventable tragedies
The Cedartown Standard, May 3, 2006

http://www.stopbackovers.org/

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