Cameron Boyce’s Mom Reveals Emotional Tribute Ahead of Mother’s Day

It’s been nearly a year since Cameron Boyce‘s untimely passing. The Disney star died in July at the age of 20 as a result of Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP). Now, in advance of Mother’s Day, Boyce’s mother, Libby Boyce, has penned a touching tribute for Good Morning America in honor of her late son.

Libby began her post by writing that Mother’s Day means something different for every mother. She even noted that it can be a day of “sheer grief” for those, like herself, who have lost a child. Libby went on to share that Mother’s Day 2020 will be an emotional one for her, as it marks her first Mother’s Day since the loss of her son. As she continued to write, she not only wants to shed light on the condition that took Boyce’s life (SUDEP), but she also wants to keep his memory alive by opening up about what made her son so special.

“My Cameron was born wise, calm and with an ear for music unlike any other. This ear for music led him to dance,” she wrote. “I often felt that Cameron was an interpreter of music because when music would play, he would move his body in a profound way, and it would look just like the music playing. He could anticipate every note and would lose himself in the movement that occurred. As a child, he watched the world around him and was hesitant to participate until he could master it, as though he worked it all out in his brain and needed no practice to perfect it prior to participating.”

“His other passions were his family and his best friends,” Libby continued. “Everyone loved him and felt good around him. They were drawn into his warmth and rootedness. He was authentic and genuine with no airs or need to be the center of attention. Cameron and I were extremely close, and we talked about everything. He once told me that he couldn’t wait for me to be older, so that he could take care of me.”

Boyce’s mother then shed a light on a few individuals who have been in the same position as her. She highlighted the stories of several mothers and the children that they lost due to SUDEP. Libby wrote that she wants to use her platform in order to spread more awareness about the illness so that the world can have a more concrete understanding of the different types of epilepsy that a person can be diagnosed with.

“I refuse to think that Cameron died in vain. One in 26 people live with epilepsy and everyone likely knows someone with epilepsy,” Libby concluded her emotional essay. “Epilepsy can be a lethal medical condition, yet very few people think of epilepsy as potentially life-threatening. It is something that has for far too long been swept under the carpet and I hope that sharing Cameron’s story and the stories of other SUDEP mom warriors will be the catalyst for change.”