SAN ANTONIO — Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is a tragedy that reshapes families forever, but some San Antonians want to do everything they can to enable research and prevent it.
Families who have lost loved ones to SIDS say they never stop feeling the pain of loss, but on days like Rex's Run for Kids, they see they're not alone. It's something Bexar County leaders have known for years.
"We knew that, in San Antonio, that was like the number one leading cause of death for our babies," Leticia Van de Putte said.
Van de Putte and her family lost five-month-old Rex Neal Van de Putte in 2013.
"Our grandson really died of true SIDS, he just stopped breathing," Van de Putte said. "They're still trying to do research on that. We know what the risk factors are, but until we do, we want to make sure families don't experience that pain."
So they started Rex's Run, an annual commemoration of loss and celebration of progress. Organizers fundraise, purchase and give out free safe sleep kits, cribs and education to save lives wherever possible.
"If the baby will sleep alone on its back in its crib, chances are so good that that baby is going to wake up in the morning and live and thrive and that's the goal of everybody in the San Antonio coalition," said Judith Henslee, co-founder of the Southwest SIDS Research Institute.
Van de Putte said the Baby Education for South Texas coalition's research shows efforts are working, but there's still work to do.
To learn more or donate to help, click here: http://best4baby.org/