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Anamaria Moreno

Nolan: A Smile to Remember

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Almost 6 years ago, a very special little boy named Nolan was born. As any happy family would do, Nolan’s family welcomed him with open arms. His parents were proud of a vibrant, happy little boy. His grandmother, Kristin, couldn’t be more proud as well.

Nolan was growing from an infant and toddler to a happy little boy with much promise in life. He was loved by the people who knew him, a typical happy little boy who loved Superheroes, PJ Masks, Sonic the Hedgehog, Paw Patrol, and Pokemon. Nolan infected everyone he met with happiness and smiles. Those who knew this young man, saw just what a special little boy he was.

Grandma says, “From the second he woke up in the morning, to the time he went to bed at night, he was on the go. Constantly moving. And he loved to dance!”. For those who knew him, Nolan could be found dancing away at the music fests held in Oakland Park. 

His favorite color was red. Grandma Kristin recalls, “I remember how he loved red. Everything had to be red”. Nolan was a very loved little boy. His best friend was his uncle Austin who he shares a middle name with.

Tragedy Strikes

It is without exaggeration that on the fateful day of this past February 13th, this family’s life as they knew it, was literally pulled from under them. Nolan and his father were involved in a tragic car accident that cost Nolan his life. His beautiful soul was taken far too prematurely from this world. And with all the fears and unknowns in a pandemic life, losing this beautiful child in such a tragic accident, was not among those fears.

His father, also in the crash, is still in recovery. Due to the severity of his injuries, he has only recently come back home and is resting and beginning his own journey back to health.

Nolan also leaves behind a little sister, Viviann. She is a 2-and-a-half-year-old toddler, who as far as family can tell, is blissfully unaware of what happened to her older brother. Thankfully, she was not involved in the accident. Nolan loved his little sister with all his heart. Grandma recalls, “One of his favorite things to say to his little sister was ‘I love you to pieces’, and we always told him ‘I love you a dozen a lot!’.

Remembering Nolan

Nolan was born on April 28, 2015 in our very own Oakland Park. He attended Oakland Park Elementary in a face-to-face setting. He is best remembered for his infectious laughter and selflessness. Nolan loved to dance and his innocence was pure and evident.

Nolan’s mom, Brittney, recalls how Nolan was attending school online. When face-to-face school was an opportunity of choice, they jumped at the chance to send Nolan back to school. She says, “He was thriving being back in class. He was so smart and was learning how to read. Since he was a toddler, he already knew his letters and sounds”. She also tells of how his teacher said Nolan would say good morning to the whole class and made sure to say hello to each individual person in the mornings.

He was fearless. He lived life to the fullest every single day. Nolan was kind, protective, and laughed at everything. He was also a very comforting little boy. His mom says, “This is how people need to live life. Live like Nolan did. Wake up with a smile because you’re never guaranteed another second in life.”

If you have children, no matter what, hug them, love them, and if they do something wrong, move on from that and love your children.

Community Help

Nolan’s family started a Go Fund me campaign to help with these unexpected and unfortunate expenses. Nolan’s dad has a long road to recovery, but the family will need help covering costs as they move forward. Mom and Grandma have not yet returned to work, but look forward to trying to very soon. They both work in jobs that require their full attention. The wound is still fresh, and they try to move forward a little each day.

The family thanks the community and those who have already helped. But if you can, please donate something towards their Go Fund me campaign. In the future, they hope to organize an event to honor and remember Nolan.

Let’s all come together and help this family heal. We hope to see this family heal and thrive with Viviann. And hopefully, she will know who her big brother was and how loved he was by all those who knew him. She will, for certain, see the love and kindness out poured to her family by strangers. Please help Nolan’s “larger than life” legacy live on.

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