In honor of Danny Stanton's 13th birthday, we want to raise $13,000 during the month of March to help protect kids with epilepsy.

Your birthday —March 2— kicks off a big birthday week for our family, with your aunt Mary Eileen's being the same day, mom's on March 4, and Johnny's on March 8. I used to think about those seven days in different ways: on the one hand, it was a whirlwind celebration of cakes and parties, and on the other, it was a time to step back and observe what is so magnificent about life.

The amped-up nature of that week has settled into something more subdued now…but the reflection on what is beautiful —that just keeps getting more thunderous each year. And so much of that is because of you, Danny. You'd be hitting your teenage years now. It's a tricky matter to contemplate, but the booming echo of your life continues to point at the best choice I have: to embrace what you feel like in my life at this moment. Because you are here.

You are in Mary Grace's sharp wit. You are in Johnny's sensitivity and handsomeness. You are in Tommy's love for baseball and his penchant for bugging Johnny. And you are forever in mom's eyes, in my arms, and in our resolve to navigate our course. You are also in the hearts of so many people that you've helped through your foundation.

And so during March – your birthday month - we want to celebrate and further your impact by asking Danny Did friends to help give other kids the chance to make it to their next birthday. Our goal is to raise $13,000 this month, a thousand for each year you've engulfed our life. Happy birthday, Daniel George. You are the best!

I love you,

Dad

We are preparing a HUGE card to give to Danny's family. Your name will be signed to this card, which will be cherished forever.

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To Donate By Check: Please make your check to "Danny Did Foundation" and mail to:

Danny Did Foundation/ ATTN: Birthday Campaign / PO Box 46576, Chicago, IL 60646

We will mail a receipt to you and add your name to Danny's card.

About Danny Did Foundation

Founded by Chicago parents Mike and Mariann Stanton in 2010 after the sudden death of their four-year-old son Danny, the Danny Did Foundation's primary mission is to prevent deaths caused by seizures. The Foundation advances public awareness of epilepsy and Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP), strives to improve communication about SUDEP between medical professionals and families impacted by seizures, and advocates for the mainstream acceptance and use of seizure detection and prediction devices that may assist in preventing seizure-related deaths.

Epilepsy affects nearly 3 million people in the United States and 65 million people worldwide. One in 26 Americans will develop epilepsy during their lifetime. But what few people understand, including many people impacted by the disorder, is that seizures can be fatal. More people die as a result of seizures than from fires and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) combined. The causes of death can vary and include drowning, other accidents and status epilepticus (prolonged seizures). In addition, thousands of deaths occur annually from SUDEP, a fact that is little known and too rarely addressed in public and in medical circles. The name of the Danny Did Foundation originates from the last line of Danny Stanton's obituary, written by his dad: "Please go and enjoy your life. Danny did."