Errol Milner Clifford

CLIFFORD WINSTON-SALEM - Errol Milner Clifford was pure joy. He was born on March 8, 2006 and died in his parents' arms on Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2009. From his first breath, life was a physical struggle due to a chromosomal defect that caused Errol to have a major heart problem as well as other systemic health issues. Errol faced all these challenges with an incredible joie de vivre, as though he knew every day was a miraculous gift. Although severely limited by his disabilities and the suffering he endured through five open-heart surgeries and long hospitalizations, Errol found more joy in his short life than most of us find in decades. He was delighted by the simple pleasures most of us forget to enjoy: squealing in delight as his beloved brother, Owen jumped off the sofa, bursting into laughter as his grandmother sang him a song, and howling with joy as we approached the Children's Center every morning. Errol never learned to speak, but his first sign was for "love," and he loved more profoundly and openly than anyone we have ever known. He loved his brother, Owen best, and showered all of his family, his friends, and the spectacular teachers at the Children's Center with an affection so pure and true that all those who cared for him fell in love with him. His love widened to an entire community when a neighbor from Washington Park, Eddie Ingle, realized that Errol's family was struggling terribly under the weight of medical debts and organized a fundraiser called Seeds of Love for Errol. In the process of raising more than enough money to pay these debts, an extraordinary group of friends and neighbors came to see past Errol's disabilities and know his beautiful spirit. We would never have known Errol's fabulous personality if not for the heroic work of many brilliant, courageous and dedicated medical professionals. Dr. Susan Hunsinger and the entire staff at Advance Pediatrics have become like a second family. Dr. Mike Hines and Kari Crawford, many kind nurses including Jen Twito, Leslie Butcher, and Keyatta Lackey, and Dr. Mary Christiaanse of Baptist Hospital gave us the medical miracle of Errol's first three years. The staff at Duke Hospital did everything possible to save Errol in his last two months, and gave him the ultimate gift of a dignified and peaceful death. We especially thank Dr. Ira Cheifetz, who was a kind and compassionate guide in our darkest hour, as well as Dr. Ron Kanter, Dr. Kevin Hill, and all the nurses who cared so well for Errol in his last days, particularly Casey Saylor, Laura Gorsky, Rebecca Smith, Jane Claire, Lexi, Maggie, Ashley, Sue, RaeAnn, Janine, and many others. We thank the entire community of the Children's Center, in particular his teachers, Audrey Campbell, Paula Sladky, Anne Clayton, Tamara Levi, Susan Colbert, Karen Ranson, Jennifer Pegram, and Paula Gavlik. We are also especially thankful for the loving support of Mike Britt, Carol Kirby, LouAnn Spell and Julie Hanes. We will always be grateful for their belief that Errol's health, happiness, and intellectual development were worth their constant loving efforts. We thank our generous friends from Team Errol, who expanded our definition of family and carried us so that we could carry Errol through his last year. We have relied particularly on our great friends, Clare Fader, Brad Cokendolpher, Rick Mashburn, Ken Frazelle, Eddie Ingle, Katy O'Kennedy, Betsy Towns, Becky Brown, Becca Fuller, Bill Watkins, and Mary Haglund. We would also like to thank the staff of Camino Bakery for their compassionate friendship and for beautifully maintaining the family's business through many tragic and uncertain days, as well as Jonathan's colleagues at UNCSA for their limitless generosity and kindness. Finally, we thank Errol's aunts, uncles, and cousins, who loved Errol so well, and especially his grandparents, who helped us greatly with his care and loved him like he was their own son. In lieu of flowers, please send contributions to the Children's Center in Errol's honor.