“The Little Boy Who Loved Trains – Remembering William’s Journey Home”
It is with hearts heavier than words can carry that we share the passing of our beloved boy, William Johnson Doom
— a child whose love for life, laughter, and trains brought light to everyone who knew him.
On October 12, 2025, at around 8:30 p.m., surrounded by the family who adored him, William took what his parents tenderly call
“a train ride to Heaven.” He was nine years old. Born November 11, 2015, William’s short journey on Earth was one filled with wonder, love, and a spirit that never stopped shining.
A Boy and His Trains
From the moment William could talk, his world revolved around trains. He didn’t just love them — he knew them. Every engine had a name, every whistle a story.
Ask him about any locomotive, and his eyes would light up as he explained what made it special. For William, trains weren’t just machines; they were living, breathing companions that carried dreams, adventures, and possibilities.
His parents, Richie and Virginia, often said they could tell what kind of day it was by the sound of William’s “choo-choo” echoing through the house.
Some mornings, it was soft and slow — a freight train crawling through the mountains.
Other times, it was wild and fast — the sound of joy in motion.
Every track he built across the living room floor was its own universe. Every toy train had a role, a purpose, and a name that William made sure everyone remembered.
He didn’t just play with trains — he lived in their rhythm. And now, his family imagines him riding the rails of Heaven, smiling from the window seat, watching over them with the same joy he once found in every journey.
A Gentle Soul with a Fierce Spirit
William was more than his love of trains. He was the heartbeat of his family — their laughter, their reason, their quiet courage.
Even in moments when life felt heavy, William had a way of making it lighter.
He was the kind of child who made friends everywhere he went — at the park, at school, in the waiting rooms of doctor visits. His warmth was contagious.
People didn’t just remember his name — they remembered how he made them feel.
William had faced more challenges in his nine years than most do in a lifetime.
Yet, through it all, he carried a strength far beyond his years.
When he wasn’t feeling well, he still found ways to make others smile — a silly joke, a thumbs-up, or a gentle reminder:
“It’s okay, Mommy. The train always comes back.”
Those words became something of a promise. A reminder that goodbyes in this world aren’t forever.
The Night Heaven Opened
On that quiet October evening, the air felt still — heavy, yet peaceful.
His family gathered close, holding his hands, whispering love into every breath.
There were no alarms, no fear — only warmth, love, and light. His parents said it best:
“Around 8:30 p.m., our precious William took a train ride to Heaven. He was our rock, and our hero. He passed peacefully, surrounded by family, and now rests in the arms of our Father.”
Those words carry the weight of heartbreak and hope all at once. Because while his body rested, William’s spirit was already running free — no longer bound by pain, no longer tired.
Somewhere beyond the clouds, the faint whistle of a train sounded — soft, distant, beautiful. And his family knew: he was home.
Love That Doesn’t End
Grief has no map.
But for Richie and Virginia, and for all who love William, there are tiny reminders that he is still near — in the sound of a train passing in the distance, in the soft golden light of morning, in the laughter that echoes through their home.
Love like his doesn’t fade. It changes shape, but it stays. It lingers in the quiet moments, the small gestures, the memories replayed like favorite scenes from a story that never really ends.
There will be hard days ahead — birthdays, holidays, moments when silence feels unbearable. But through every ache, there will also be gratitude.
Gratitude for nine beautiful years. Gratitude for every giggle, every hug, every “choo-choo” that filled the air. Gratitude for a little boy whose heart taught the world about love, wonder, and faith.
A Legacy of Joy
Those who knew William describe him as sunshine — pure and bright. He loved to learn, to explore, to build things with his hands. He loved music, cartoons, pancakes with extra syrup, and bedtime stories about adventure.
But most of all, he loved people. His teachers remember how he would help classmates tie their shoes, share his snacks, and tell anyone who looked sad, “You can ride my train if you want.”
Even now, that kindness continues. In his memory, his family and friends have chosen to carry that same spirit forward — to love more deeply, to forgive more quickly, to find joy in small things.
Because that’s what William would have done. He would have smiled and said, “Come on — let’s go for a ride.”
The Final Journey
It’s impossible to put into words what it means to lose a child like William. No parent should have to face that kind of goodbye. And yet, somehow, Richie and Virginia have shown a grace and strength that mirror their son’s own courage.
Their faith tells them that this goodbye is not forever — that one day, when their own journey ends, they’ll see him again. Until then, they hold onto his memory like a light in the dark — one that will never go out.
As the days move forward, they ask for what all grieving parents need most: your prayers, your compassion, your love.
Hold them close in your hearts. Remember their sweet boy — his laughter, his kindness, his trains.
And every time you hear the distant echo of a whistle, think of William — smiling, waving from Heaven’s platform, calling out softly: “All aboard.”
In Loving Memory
William Johnson Doom November 11, 2015 – October 12, 2025 Forever loved. Forever remembered. The little boy who loved trains — and taught us all that love, like the tracks he adored, goes on forever.
“Five Years Without You — Remembering Our Baby Girl, Callie”.2655
💗 Callie June — The Little Girl Who Taught the World How to Love 💗
July 18, 2017 — October 16, 2020 Three short years. A lifetime of love.
Today marks five years since she left this world. Five years since the laughter stopped echoing through the house, since her tiny feet last danced across the floor, since her sweet voice last whispered, “I love you, Mommy.”
But love hasn’t left. It never does. Because even though Callie June Shaffer is no longer here, her presence fills every breath, every memory, every quiet moment in between.
🌸 A Short Life, A Big Light
Callie was born on a warm July evening — 5:09 p.m. — the kind of day where the sunset painted everything golden, as if Heaven had already taken notice. She was tiny, with bright eyes and the sweetest little smile that seemed to know more about joy than most adults ever would.
From the start, Callie’s life was anything but easy. There were hospital visits, medications, machines that hummed beside her crib. But there was also laughter — and so much love. Her parents made sure of that.
Every day was a celebration: Bubble baths that turned into foam castles. Dance parties in hospital rooms. Midnight cuddles, where her mom whispered stories about rainbows and angels.
Even when her little body was tired, her spirit shone brighter than ever. No matter how much she hurt, she smiled. No matter how unfair life seemed, she gave joy to everyone around her.
Her parents would often say, “She taught us more about strength and love in three years than we could have learned in a lifetime.”
💖 The Little Princess With the Endless Smile
Callie loved the simple things — music, cartoons, and anything pink. She loved snuggling into soft blankets and watching movies while eating Doritos (her all-time favorite snack). And pizza nights were sacred — her family’s way of forgetting the pain, even just for a little while.
Those who met her remember how she lit up every room she entered. Her nurses adored her. Other parents in the hospital said she gave them hope just by smiling. Even on her hardest days, when breathing was difficult or pain took over, Callie found a way to make others laugh.
She was the kind of child who could change you without even saying a word. The kind of light you don’t realize you need — until it’s gone.
🕊 The Day Heaven Gained an Angel
On October 16, 2020, at 9:16 a.m., the world changed forever. Heaven gained a tiny angel, and her parents lost their world.
They held her close until her last breath. They told her she was brave. They told her she was loved. They told her it was okay to rest.
And then, with one soft sigh, Callie slipped away — leaving behind hearts too shattered to ever fully heal.
Since that day, time has moved forward, but the ache remains. Every sunrise is a reminder of her laughter. Every quiet evening feels just a little too still.
Her parents still whisper her name in the dark, still glance toward her favorite spot on the couch, still keep her photos close — proof that love never fades, even when life does.
🌷 Five Years Without Her
Five years. It feels like forever, and yet, like yesterday.
“She would be eight now,” her mother writes. “We wonder what she’d be like. What would make her laugh? What would she love? She’d be the best big sister — we just know it.”
There’s no answer for those questions — only the quiet ache of what could have been. But even through grief, there’s gratitude.
Because for three beautiful years, they got to know a little girl who showed them what pure love looks like. Because for three years, they got to hold her, kiss her forehead, and call her ours.
And so, on this fifth year of remembering, they’ll celebrate her the way she loved most — with pizza and Doritos, a movie night, and stories that make them laugh through tears.
🌈 Her Legacy of Love
In her three short years, Callie touched more hearts than most people do in a lifetime. Her story reminds everyone who hears it to hold their loved ones closer, to appreciate every giggle, every messy moment, every goodnight hug.
Because no one knows how long those moments will last.
“She never got to be a kid,” her parents said, “but we made the best of the time we had.”
And they did. They gave her everything — love, laughter, and a home where every heartbeat was wrapped in devotion.
Even now, she lives on in the lives she’s changed. In every parent who reads her story and pauses to kiss their child’s forehead. In every stranger who learns her name and says a prayer for a family who loved so deeply.
💫 Always Our Baby Girl
There will always be an empty chair at the dinner table. A birthday that feels too quiet. A bedtime story that ends in tears.
But there will also always be Callie — in the smell of fresh rain, in the giggles of her siblings, in the soft glow of candlelight every time they whisper her name.
Five years later, her parents still speak to her. They still say goodnight. They still thank her for the lessons she left behind.
Because love like that doesn’t fade. It transforms. It becomes light, memory, and meaning.
💗 Rest in peace, sweet Callie June. You were — and always will be — the little princess who taught the world how to love a little deeper, laugh a little louder, and hold on a little longer.
Tonight, there will be pizza and Doritos — just for you. And a promise whispered into Heaven:
“We’ll love you forever, baby girl. Until we see you again.”
