Like most kids she was resilient and quite hard-headed. She started her journey on this Earth 77 days premature, and after 11 weeks of ups and down she finally came home from the NICU at 4lb 5oz. She defied all the odds every year and got stronger and stronger.
There were things that Riley couldn’t do. She couldn’t walk. She couldn’t talk. She couldn’t do many things other people take for granted every day. She could smile. She could laugh. She could feel unbridled happiness. She could love without condition. She could show her love without ever saying a word. Not everyone has those abilities. To us she was perfect.
Her special needs did not keep her from bringing happiness to people with her infectious smile and laughter. Her communication style was unique and all her own, without words, but those noises will be greatly missed and fondly remembered. She was the best at keeping secrets.
She showed us what it is to be strong, because strength is not just found in being the biggest, the toughest or the fastest. The greatest success is found in the tiniest of victories. In her short 12 years on this Earth, she taught us things about life, compassion and patience. She had so much love for her family and music.
Throughout her life she has had a compassionate team of doctors, specialists, support group, teachers, and at home nurses that eased what became our new life with Riley. The nightly cuddles, chats, and caretaking will be missed the most.
Riley is survived by her mother, Ashley, and her father, Steve; sisters, Paige and Taylor; dog, Harvey; paternal grandfather, Larry Rushin, and his wife, Annette; paternal grandmother, Mary Martin; maternal grandfather, William Franklin, and his wife, Renee; maternal grandmother, Denise Hunt, and her husband, Michael.
A visitation for Riley will be held on Saturday, June 3, 2023 from 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. at Mitchell Funeral Home, 7209 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh. In lieu of flowers, please direct memorials to the Tammy Lynn Center, or to the Cerebral Palsy Alliance Research Foundation by using the links below, under ‘Donations’.
If you would like to leave a favorite memory / story of Riley, or a message of condolence for her family, you may do so below, within ‘Add a Memory’.
