Ray-Ray’s Dream
by Barbara Massine
Recommended by: Jennifer LB Leese
Published by Lovegifts Publishing
Release: June 2002
Format: Hard Cover – 28 Pages
ISBN: 0-9702601-2-1
Tear-jerking true story!
Ray-Ray started his short life in a hospital and throughout his 4 years of life, he had spent many of his days in a hospital…sick and sad. That is until he met his mommy. She didn’t like seeing Ray-Ray sad. She told him that little boys and girls should be happy and loved, so she adopted him. Ray-Ray’s new mommy showed him how to be happy. He spoke of his dreams often of where he didn’t feel sick, he could run and play with other children, everything was bright and clean, and he felt loved. Knowing that he meant Heaven, his mommy cried tears of sadness and tears of joy, as he’d be in a better place.
RAY-RAY’S DREAM is based on the true story of a little boy named Raymond. Raymond was born addicted to alcohol and several illegal drugs, as well as being diagnosed with full-flown AIDS. With no one to care for him, Raymond was abandoned into the foster care system and not knowing anything else, waited to die. That is until he met that one special woman. She taught Ray-Ray how to have a fuller, happier life without feeling sickly all the time. He learned to love and he now knew what it meant to be loved.
Raymond died on April 16, 1994. Before he died he talked of a camp, he called Camp Ray-Ray. His mommy started this camp and opened on May 1995 in the beautiful Colorado Rocky Mountains. This camp believes in making children feel special, and letting children live life to the fullest.
Included in the back of this heart-wrenching and inspirational book are organizations and information resources for those interested in making donations, or for looking into what the organization does for help children.
This book was a pleasure to read. Naturally, my children were full of questions after reading the book, but they knew, from the pictures, that Ray-Ray was happy wherever he was. A “touching-story” is an understatement for this lovely book.
RAY-RAY’S DREAM by author/illustrator Barbara Massine comes highly recommended by this reviewer.
Today we met Barbara, she spoke to my 9th grade class. Raymonds story was really touching. I think it took her alot of courage for her to get up in front of around 100 people every hour and talk about her son. When i finnished crying i looked around and saw that there were many people crying in the audiance.