Rush’s Story: The Boy Who Changed the World in Seven Months

Rush Lee Auer was born in May 2022 — the month when spring finally awakens in North Dakota. Just like the world around him, Rush radiated new life. From the moment he entered this world, he was filled with light and laughter. He had the kind of smile that stopped strangers in their tracks — the kind that made people say, “That’s the happiest baby I’ve ever seen.”

Rush was an old soul in a tiny body — peaceful, curious, and deeply content. He was healthy, growing beautifully, and had just started to crawl before turning seven months old. Life was full of simple joys: family snuggles, big-sister giggles, and the warmth of a home overflowing with love.

 

A Sudden Goodbye

Rush’s father, Jalen, served as a military pilot, which often meant stretches of time away from home. During those times, Hannah and their two children, Emmy and Rush, would visit family in Indiana. That winter, after returning home to North Dakota in December 2022, both children caught a cold. At first, it seemed mild — the usual fever and sniffles of winter. But within days, Rush’s condition changed dramatically.

Though he was seen by the Emergency Department and his pediatrician, Rush’s illness progressed with frightening speed. On December 21, 2022 — just sixteen hours after being told he would recover — Rush passed away from acute respiratory failure, a complication of severe croup. He was only seven months old.

That date, December 21st — the Winter Solstice, the darkest day of the year — became a symbol of our deepest grief.

 

Finding Light in the Darkness

In the days following Rush’s passing, we were consumed by loss. It felt like being trapped in a foggy forest with no paths, no light, and no sense of direction. Not long after, we suffered another heartbreak — a miscarriage. The pain was indescribable, and yet, even in that darkness, we began to sense a glimmer of something beyond it.

The morning after Rush passed, as we drove through subzero North Dakota air to make arrangements for his service, we saw not one, but four rainbows stretching across the winter sky — a miraculous sight at -50°F. We knew then that it was a sign from Rush, his way of showing us that love continues even when life stops.

That moment became the birth of Rush’s Rainbows — a promise to bring light to families navigating the same unimaginable darkness we had walked through.

 

Turning Pain into Purpose

In Spring 2023, Rush’s Rainbows was born. What started as a personal act of healing — creating digital memorial art for bereaved families — grew into a full nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting families through grief.

Over time, as our outreach expanded, we realized that the emotional toll of creating hours of custom artwork each day began to weigh heavily. While every portrait was meaningful, we knew our mission needed to evolve in a way that allowed us to keep serving families while protecting our own mental and emotional health.

In 2024, Rush’s Rainbows relocated to South Florida, where we continue Rush’s legacy in new, impactful ways. Our focus has shifted from digital art and nationwide care packages to hands-on, local outreach — serving families and hospitals right here in our own community.

 

Our New Mission: Supporting Families Where They Are

Today, Rush’s Rainbows partners with hospitals, birthing centers, and local organizations across Palm Beach County and South Florida to bring comfort and connection to families facing the loss of a child.

We provide bereavement care baskets to local hospitals filled with comforting, meaningful items — soft blankets, socks, candles, journals, and books on grief and healing — for parents and siblings who need immediate support in the aftermath of loss.

We also host community events, support collaborations, and educational outreach designed to help families, medical professionals, and communities understand the unique journey of child loss and how to compassionately support those walking through it.

Our mission today is simple yet profound:

To bring hope, healing, and human connection to grieving families in South Florida — one act of compassion at a time.

While we no longer ship care packages or create digital drawings, our work continues through the relationships we build locally, the awareness we spread, and the light we bring to families in their darkest moments.

 

Rush’s Legacy Lives On

Through every rainbow that lights up the sky, we are reminded that love is eternal — that Rush’s short life continues to touch countless others. Our story has become our mission: to ensure that no family facing child loss ever feels alone or forgotten.

If we cannot raise our son, we can raise this mission in his name.
And through Rush’s Rainbows, his light will forever shine.

 

Connect With Us

🌈 Website: www.rushsrainbows.com
💌 Email: rushsrainbows@yahoo.com
📱 Instagram & Facebook: @RushsRainbows

“You are not alone in this. Together, we’ll find light in the darkest places — one rainbow at a time.”