Friends reflect on the life and impact of Tripp Halstead

ATLANTA — Tripp Halstead’s life was tragically altered in 2012 after a tree limb fell on him outside his daycare during Hurricane Sandy. He suffered a traumatic brain injury.

The charity, Sunshine on a Ranney Day, renovated his house in 2013 so his parents Stacy and Bill could care for him. 

"He made so many of us want to help people and I hope that they can find comfort in that fact," said the organization's chair Lori Geary. "(He was) just the cutest boy, the spikey hair those big beautiful eyes and that smile, it just was captivating."

[READ: A timeline: Looking back at Tripp Halstead's long road to recovery]

Tripp died unexpectedly on Thursday.

"It’s just hard because their lives revolved around the therapy appointments, the doctor appointments, the feeding tubes, the changing I mean everything they have to go home and I think that’s going to be the hardest part," Geary said.

Holly Ranney is the founder of the charity.

"We went to see the family and um you don’t know it’s so hard you don’t know how to how console them or make them feel OK," said Ranney.

Ranney said they‘ve done so much for special needs families. While on this journey, both Ranney and Geary said the little boy with the magnetic smile that captivated a nation left a lasting impression.

"I hope that Stacy and Bill find comfort in the fact that Tripp made his mark on the world," Geary said.

Visitation for Tripp Halstead will be Sunday, March 18 from 3 p.m. until 7 p.m. at the Jefferson Civic Center.

A Memorial Service will immediately follow at 7 p.m. at the Jefferson Civic Center, 65 Kissam Street, Jefferson, Georgia 30549.

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Cox Media Group