​

Bodie Joseph Toohey was born on December 19th, 2022. Our son’s life began like so many others—full of promise, love, and quiet dreams for the future. In just two and a half months, he became deeply woven into our world. Every sound, every movement, every small expression was something to cherish. He was ours, and he was deeply loved.

​

On March 4th, 2023, everything changed. Our son was in what should have been a safe, trusted space—an in-home childcare setting in Virginia. Like any parent, we made the decision believing he would be cared for, protected, and watched over. But something went terribly wrong. Unsafe sleep practices in the form of swing use, led to positional asphyxiation, a preventable tragedy that took his life far too soon.

There are no words that can fully hold the weight of that kind of loss. It’s the kind of heartbreak that reshapes everything—how you see the world, how you move through it, and what you carry with you each day.

​

His life—brief but deeply meaningful—has become part of something bigger. Through him, there is now a voice that speaks to the importance of safe sleep. A reminder that the smallest details matter. That education, awareness, and accountability can save lives. That no family should have to experience what we have endured. He was more than the way he died. And now, through Bodie's Buddies, he is remembered with purpose.

​

Bodie's story has the power to change outcomes for other children. It can help caregivers pause, rethink, and choose safer practices. It can bring awareness to spaces that need it most. It can honor his life by protecting others.

​

He should still be here. That truth doesn’t soften. But the love  we have for him—and the way we carry him forward—ensures that he is not forgotten.

​

Safe Sleep. Shared Memory. Lasting Love.

​

​