A heartbreaking obituary was penned for the Virginia dad who committed suicide after discovering he’d accidentally left his toddler son to die in his hot car.
The 37-year-old dad, Aaron Beck, turned a gun on himself behind his home after finding his 18-month-old son, Anderson, dead in his hot car. According to Beck’s family, the father “sacrificed his life to his son in an act of profound devotion and love.”
Beck was out with his 18-month-old Anderson when the tragic mishap occurred on June 28 in Chesterfield County, Virginia.
When responding officers arrived at Beck’s home, they found the vehicle in the driveway with the back door still open and the child’s car seat empty.
Officers went inside the house and discovered the toddler dead. In a wooded area behind the home, officers found Beck dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The father and son shared an obituary, which described little Anderson as an “intelligent little boy” who “brought his family together and was deeply loved by his parents and surrounding family.”
Beck, a graduate of Drexel University, worked as a draftsman although his “most devoted focus was his son, Anderson, to whom he gave enormous and endless love,” the obituary states.
“He was generous, kind, caring and soft with his son. The selflessness of his love was a testament to the possibilities of fatherhood, to the possibilities of the heart.”
A GoFundMe campaign has raised nearly $5,000 to help the grieving family cover funeral costs and other expenses.
“This is a horrible tragedy on so many levels and our hearts go out to the family and friends that are going to deal with this,” Chesterfield County cop Chris Hensley told reporters after the horrible accident. “But we would be remiss to not take an opportunity for people to realize how important it is to obviously check your vehicles.”
If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or are experiencing a mental health crisis, you can dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 1-800-273-8255 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.