On What Would Have Been Hunter's 30th Birthday
I shared the following with family and friends on behalf of Be The Boat on what would ahve been Hunter’s 30th…
Today, on what would have been our son Hunter’s 30th birthday, we remember Hunter with great love.
Five years ago, on what would have been Hunter’s 25th birthday, we launched the Hunter Quigley Coe Be The Boat Fund to make actionable Hunter’s willingness to help others unconditionally. Oh, he could also be Hurricane Hunter who sucked the air out of the room but with Be The Boat, we honor that tender side of him that was loyal, present, and delivered hugs that could, as an elementary school friend noted, “turn your day around”.
You have been our Boat of Love as we’ve navigated the wake of Hunter’s loss. Because of your support, we’ve moved forward – tentatively at first and now with wind in our sails – to serve others. With your support, we are so proud to announce three grants for 2021:
$25,000 to Hephzibah Children’s Association (to underwrite art therapy)
$25,000 to Infant Welfare Society (to underwrite a behavioral therapist)
$27,200 to Harmony Community Cares (to underwrite academic tutoring support)
As the daughter of a venerable letter writer, I am haunted by the thank you notes I’ve not sent in 2020 but please know how buoyed we are by your notes about Hunter, kindnesses in his name, and financial support of Be The Boat! With time, I’ll tend to these :--)
As parents, we bestow a name with hope and a promise of tomorrows. Hunter did not receive all the tomorrows we’d wished for him and yet, through your eyes, we see the extraordinary ways he engaged with the world and through Be The Boat we mimic this engagement. To many, Hunter “had everything” and yet, he suffered. Through Be The Boat, we aim to alter the trajectory for those similarly afflicted who do not have a Boat of Love to carry them. The human heart is amazing in its capacity to hold sadness and hope simultaneously. Thank you for restoring hope to our world and the lives of children served by Be The Boat.
We’d love to share our work with you – please visit www.betheboat.org to learn more!
We thank you, from the bottom of our hearts.
PS – The summer after Hunter died, we visited our beloved Long Beach and, with our nieces, arranged rocks in the shape of Hunter’s initials – a 6’ X 8’ HQC surrounded by a rock frame. This became a destination for us to commune with Hunter and revel in our beach days together. The rocks stood as placed – with a few touch-ups – for 5 years. When we visited last fall, someone had rearranged them as pictured below. In those instances when we wonder if the universe hears us or our pleas, moments like these certify that we are not alone, in our joy and our sadness. What an uplifting affirmation!
