In Memory of Joshua Baez: His Life Story

05/20/2026

Joshua was only 21 years old when he wrote his Will... 2 years before the fatal accident...

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05/20/2026

After 4 years and 3 months, I stumbled upon Josh's Will, buried among 12,412 items in iCloud… dated August 22, 2020, a Saturday.

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05/17/2026

Some pieces are not written to be polished.
They are written to survive.

I recently revisited a personal reflection I wrote in the summer of 2022 — just four months after the loss of my son. Re-reading it brought back raw emotions, grief, unanswered questions, and the reality of what early loss truly felt like.

These were words written during one of the darkest seasons of my life. Raw. Honest. Unfiltered.

Today, I chose to share them.

If you would like to read this reflection, I Hate My Life: Learning to Live After Loss, visit my blog, A Life's Journey or click on post for link. 🖤

A deeply personal reflection written four months after the loss of my son — exploring grief, unanswered prayers, shattered expectations, and learning to embrace life again through faith and healing.

12/15/2025

First night of Hanukkah also falls on his birthday this year. Had cake and watched Wall-E one his favorite classics.

Happy Birthday son. We'll always celebrate 🥳 the day you was born and look forward to celebrating with all of heaven one day.
125 .5

12/14/2025

Baked an Oreo Chocolate Cake for Jøsh Baez ... now planning to watch a favorite classic of his, Walle.

12/14/2025

On That Day — December 14 🤍

The world had its headlines.
The news carried its stories.
But on that day, Josh was born — and our lives changed forever.

I wrote a reflection honoring December 14, 1998 — weaving together what was happening in the world and what truly mattered to us: the day Joshua entered it.

If you’d like to read this piece and remember Josh with us, I invite you to visit the blog.

🔗 Read On That Day — December 14:
https://marcybaezlopez.wixsite.com/in-memory-of-joshua/post/on-that-day-in-history-december-14-1998

On December 14, 1998, while the world moved forward with its headlines and history, Josh entered it — and changed our lives forever. This reflection honors the day he was born and the love he left behind.

12/14/2025

This weekend marks Josh’s birthday 🤍

When a loved one is no longer here, birthdays carry a different weight.

They remind us of what we miss — and of the love that never leaves.

As Josh’s day approaches, I’m re-sharing eight ways I’ve learned to honor and remember him, written for his first birthday remembrance in 2023, from a mother’s heart, in hopes they may help others walking this path too.

If you’re facing a birthday after loss — or simply holding someone close in remembrance — I invite you to read and share.

🔗 Read here:
https://marcybaezlopez.wixsite.com/in-memory-of-joshua/post/celebrating-birthdays-after-loss

How do we celebrate a loved one’s birthday after they are no longer here? Read on to learn of 8 ways that help us honor and remember them.

11/16/2025

The 3rd Annual Walk for Josh was a success!
It was more than I had prepared for, planned for, or even hoped for.

We began in prayer together, encircled in the parking lot. We shared stories, created new memories, forged deeper bonds, and honored Joshua in every step. About a third of the way in, we had an unexpected moment of grace. We reached an intersection—one that Josh, Gabe, and I had explored during our winter adventure in December 2020, following a hidden trail off the Fox River near the Woodlawn House in Valley View.

We had crossed the bridge then, when we stopped at a sign pointing in three different directions. Yesterday we stopped at that same spot. What we didn’t realize back then was that just a few months later we’d move to the very town that one of those arrows pointed toward—the town where Josh would live for the last time. Standing there again, it felt as if past, present, and future met in a single, sacred point. One of those moments that is deeply significant yet almost impossible to fully grasp.

I can only hope God allowed Josh a glimpse of this walk today—and imagine him smiling.

Thank you to everyone who joined. We finally made it to Joshua’s Waterfall this year: a journey he never had the chance to complete. Two and a half miles. Nine of us. Steady and smooth. An unforgettable experience and a blessing.

11/15/2025

The day has arrived for the "3rd Annual Walk for Josh."

It also marks the beginning of the most difficult season of the year for me — the stretch from today through February 5, the anniversary of Joshua’s transition. It’s 3–4 months of navigating memories, emotions, and a grief that evolves but never disappears.

During this season, I will cry, laugh, grieve, and remember.

I will long deeply… and still, I will courageously hope.

Each passing year brings me one step closer to our reunion 🫂

And each year adds another layer of healing and another level of strength.

Today, I walk to honor my son, Joshua Baez 💙 To remember — with intention and with love — the life I brought into this world and the one I eventually had to lay to rest. The experience of being not only his mother, but as he often expressed without shame, his best friend.

With all my love, I will walk.
I will cry.
I will reflect.

And I will heal some more.

In Memory of Joshua Baez: His Life Story