With everything going on in the world right now, parents — especially Black parents— are holding their children very close. So, when Renee shared that she had lost her son due to brain cancer, it was a crushing blow for fans and a reminder of different things we are up against.

“In your 25 months on earth you taught me how much strength I had stored up in reserve that I didn’t know I had,” Renee wrote. “You taught me endurance. You taught me a depth of love I have never experienced. You inspired me to keep going when I wanted to give up. You helped me prioritize what is truly important in this life.”

She continued, “I didn’t just lose you Blakey, I lost all the dreams and hopes that a mom has for a son. I lost my motherhood and I’m mourning it all. I am dedicated to fighting pediatric cancer for the rest of my life. I will do it not just to spare other parents from this unbearable pain but I will do it to forever honor you, Blake. Your life was not in vain my sweet angel.”

Blake’s life unfortunately came to a tragic end on April 14, 2021, just one month after celebrating his second birthday. He was born on March 14, 2019.