Shiloh William Sniff

• "In the end, it’s not the years in your life, it’s the life in your years.”

- Abraham Lincoln

• “They may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel.”

- Carl W. Buechner

Shiloh William Sniff lived a life far grander than any words could describe and changed the lives of many. Shiloh had a contagious smile and an infectious laugh that brought joy and light to even the darkest days. He knew no stranger and had an energy that attracted everyone. Even before he was in school, Shiloh would be surrounded by a group of people he had never met (ranging from young children to adults) as he mesmerized them with his stories. When he was 3, a little boy in his daycare asked, “Mr. Sniff, does Shiloh really have a 50 pound frog?” He loved to reach out to others, including classmates, neighbors, the people at his Walgreens, or someone standing nearby, and he had a special affinity for those he perceived to be underdogs. Nothing could stop him if he set his mind to something as evidenced by being the top Scout popcorn salesman for several years. The only thing bigger than Shiloh’s personality was his heart. This heart was meant to be shared, to connect with others, and to beat to the sound of laughter. His enthusiasm, unconditional love, indomitable spirit, and joy in life left a lasting impression on everyone he met.

Throughout his life, Shiloh faced a variety of medical and personal challenges, starting even before he was born on March 30, 1996. Most significant was a diagnosis of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in 2009. In 2012, Make-A-Wish Colorado granted his wish to go to Ireland with his family and, in 2015, he received the Courage Award at his Chatfield Senior High School graduation. Shiloh always surprised everyone with his tenacity. His positive attitude carried him far, as he cheerfully stated every day, “I’m doing good”. Once, when asked by a friend what it was like to have PAH, he thought briefly and said, “There’s something good in every day." In spite of unfair and unbearable circumstances, he bravely faced each day and every interaction with cheerfulness, kindness and optimism, with a readily available laugh. Throughout it all, he beat the odds, overcame expectations, and most importantly, he lived.

Shiloh had a deep passion for learning, growing, and adventuring. He loved to explore and these passions led him to collecting coins from 195 countries, lapel pins, T-shirts, and other souvenirs from all over the world. He enjoyed learning about each coin he collected, including its detailed history and the history of the place it came from. Shiloh was always an old soul with a wisdom beyond his years and actually preferred talking with adults from a very early age. Because of his varied interests, he was described as a “Renaissance Man”, even in his early teens. He saw more of the world in almost 25 years than many see in 100, ranging from trips to Harry Potter World and Niagara Falls with extended family, a river cruise on the Danube, and a trip to ancestral Sweden -- all after his PAH diagnosis. His favorite times were spent traveling with, or to visit, his family, meeting new people, and seeing new places as he was - unique in the most beautiful ways.

Shiloh breathed his last on January 26, 2021, surrounded by his family who loved him beyond measure. He will be dearly missed by his parents, Larry and Kathleen Sniff; his sister, Kira (Craig) Meyer; his grandparents, Dan and Willmette (Willy) Sniff; and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. He was preceded in death by his grandparents, William and Elaine Smoke, and his uncles, Tom Pearson and Paul Hansen.

A special “thank you” to all the doctors, nurses, and staff of the Children’s Hospital Colorado Heart Institute who cared for Shiloh over the years. They always looked forward to seeing Shiloh because no matter how he was feeling, he always greeted them with a smile and often a joke or a correction in how medications are pronounced (and he was right). Shiloh was a unique patient who stands out and leaves a lasting impact, but it was because of their care and expertise that Shiloh got to experience so much in life, and for that his family is forever grateful.

A memorial celebration of Shiloh and his life will be held at a later date. The family requests donations in Shiloh’s name be made to the Children’s Hospital Colorado Heart Institute.