Tracey Blackmore is trying to “be brave” for her six-year-old son.
Brooks Blackmore died May 21 after fighting brain cancer. The story of this Carmel boy touched thousands of people, leading to more than 8,000 likes on the Be Brave Brooks page on Facebook that provided updates on his condition.
“One month later, we are still trying to pick up the pieces after losing our brave boy Brooks,” Tracey Blackmore told Current in Carmel. “In many ways it just doesn’t seem real. We had such great hope. When something like this happens, especially to a 6-year-old boy, we try to figure out why and wonder how something like this could happen. We are still making our way through these questions and although we will never know the true answers in this lifetime … we still seek them to help find comfort.”
Tracey Blackmore said she has found comfort in “signs” she sees all around.
“He leaves me heart-shaped clouds or helps God paint the night sky in ways that resemble his first painting he did when sick,” she said. “He is ‘talking’ through our almost 3-year-old twins as they tell me, ‘Brooksy is happy, Mama.’ We talk about our boy all the time and even talk to him. We ask him to come with us to the park, store, outside to play, etc. We talk about how brave he was and what an impact he had on the world that knew him.”
The community has stepped up to make sure Brooks isn’t forgotten. At least $12,000 was raised in donations for Prayers From Maria, a pediatric, high-grade tumor research foundation.
An NFL fundraiser is scheduled July 15 at Carmel High School to benefit the Blackmore family, among other charitable causes. The event is a Mascots versus Pee Wees game that includes NFL mascots, including Blue of the Indianapolis Colts, competing in games against peewee teams from Carmel, Westfield, Avon and Center Grove. Kickoff is at 6:30 p.m., but gates open at 4 p.m. with autograph sessions beforehand. Tickets are $5.
The Carmel Dad’s Club Pups will compete in the first quarter and the Westfield Youth Sports Shamrocks will compete in the second quarter. At halftime, there will be a K9 Crew Trick Dog Show. Center Grove and Avon will compete in the third and fourth quarters.
Tracey Blackmore said she appreciates the money raised and the kind words, prayers, cards, gifts and dinners. But she said what she appreciates most is that, “he is not forgotten.”
“What has given us the most comfort and made us the most proud is hearing the stories of how Brooks has changed the lives of others who knew his story,” she said. “He is helping other families live fearlessly in the moment, hug a little longer, have more patience, play a little more and to ‘be Brooks brave.’ Not a day, or rather a minute, goes by that he is not heavy on my mind. We would go through this a million times again just so we could have the honor of calling Brooks our son. We now carry him forever in our hearts. Thank you all for loving our brave boy so much.”
Mascots vs. Peewees Football Game
When: 6:30 p.m. July 15, gates open at 4 p.m.
Where: Carmel High School football stadium, 520 E Main St.
Cost: $5
Quarter 1: Carmel Dad’s Club Pups
Quarter 2: Westfield Youth Sports Shamrocks
Halftime: K9 Crew Trick Dog Show
Quarter 3: Center Grove Bantam Football League’s Junior Trojans
Quarter 4: Avon Junior Athletic Association All-Stars
All proceeds will support Special Olympics Indiana, the Blackmore family in honor of Brooks Blackmore and the Indianapolis Colts Foundation.
