Dear Elena is Daniel Steinberg’s blog about the inexplicable sudden death of his 6-year old daughter Elena last week.

We told Elena how smart and beautiful she was every day. We celebrated her recent achievements as she turned the corner and became a reader. She loved stories and was just uncovering the magic of the written word. We learned from Montessori to separate actions from her self. There were things she did that we weren’t happy with - but we were never disappointed by her.

I spend a lot of time on this blog talking about my kids, how proud I am of them, about how much of my life and mindshare is about them, how lucky T and I consider ourselves to have them in our lives. Like Daniel, I celebrate their achievements and tell them every day I love them.

But it is never in my mind that I might lose them today. Or tomorrow. Or that some ugly evil demonvirusbacteria will come and eat them and they will be gone. It should be but it’s too hard for me to look at life that way.

Daniel Steinberg’s daughter is gone. He’s telling us all about it. If you are brave enough to read what he writes, you will be looking straight into the heart and soul of a man who has been to hell, seen the devil and has no idea why he was chosen for the journey. I don’t know why either, except that the story he tells with all of his heart and soul is a path to a journey that any of us with kids might have to take one day.To Liz at I Speak of Dreams, thank you for blogging about Daniel’s story.

To Daniel, his wife Kim and his daughter Maggie, here is a rose for Elena. It reminds me of your description of her: vibrant, laughing, whimsical and cheerful. I don’t know you, but you have reached into me and yanked my priorities into the right place. My heart goes out to you, and my prayers go with you and your family.

Update #1: Glenn Vanderburg suggests adding this wonderful graphic in support of Elena’s family and as a reminder to tell our own kids we love them.

Update #2: According to the local health department. Elena was stricken with pneumococcus meningitis.  She had received the proper immunizations, but had a rare strain which is not protected by the vaccination.