Dear Friends and Community Members,

Leah Zimmermann - Laub of Wayne, PA, and David Laub of Easton, PA, were married for 11 wonderful and eventful years.  They met through a mutual friend on a camping excursion. They dated for two years, were engaged for two years, and then married at the Willows Estate in Wayne, PA in 1997.  David was born with a congenital heart disease that resulted in various open heart surgeries starting at the young age of 9.  Despite all of the complications David has faced with his health, he thrived in life and had a successful career in finance that took David and Leah  from Willow Grove to Cape Cod, and finally to Phoenixville, where they have lived for the last five years. 

In 2005, they were blessed with a beautiful little girl they named Ryann Elaine.  Ryann must have been pretty excited to enter this world, because she arrived over a month early – before Leah’s baby shower had even taken place!  David and Leah had been praying for a child, and were very grateful and loving parents.  What happened next doesn’t seem fair.  In March 2005, at just five months old, Ryann was taken from them by the senseless and mysterious Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).  Statistically, the loss of a child drives a wedge between the parents, but this was not the case with Dave and Leah. Losing their daughter actually brought them closer together.  None of us will ever forget the way David held Leah as they walked down the aisle at Ryann’s funeral. To honor the loss of Ryann, David and Leah still took care of her by becoming avid supporters of the CJ SIDS Foundation.  Each year they have dedicated their lives to help organize a group of walkers to participate in the CJ Foundation SIDS Walk held at Wawa Corporate.   The funds raised through this event are dedicated to research, so that one day we can find a cause, and ultimately prevention, for SIDS.

Soon after Ryann’s death, they were thrilled to find out that they were expecting again.  In January of 2006, they welcomed a handsome little boy whom they named Nolan.  But they didn’t stop there. Two years later, they were blessed with Hannah, who celebrated her first birthday last September.

In January and February, David had not been feeling quite like himself.  He had made a few hospital visits for testing and for check-ups – but it was nothing anyone thought they should be overly concerned about. 

“Grow old with me – the best is yet to be,” reads the sign that hangs in the Laub family living room.  Sadly, this will not become a reality.  On the evening of March 3, 2009, while at home, David succumbed to cardiac arrest at the age of 39.  Due to his pre-existing heart condition, he did not qualify for life insurance.  He had just started a new job at GMAC, but unfortunately passed away before the 30 days of employment required to qualify for their insurance. 

Try to imagine yourself in Leah’s position, and all of the tragedy and heartbreak she has endured.  All of her friends and family watch as she remains strong for her children.  With such young children, she has many trials of parenting and of life on the long road ahead of her. There will be baseball games, music lessons, and doctor appointments, and Leah has to deal with the reality that her children now only have one parent to rely on. 

David may not be with us physically, but through his family and friends, his spirit lives on.  David loved his wife, his kids, his friends, and entire family.  He also loved to cook, play his guitar, travel, hike, and go to the beach.  We need your help in keeping David’s memory alive and in supporting his family. 

On Saturday, June 13, 2009 from 3 – 8 p.m., please join us at the Willows Estate for Davidpalooza, a benefit to help support Leah and their children.  The Willows was chosen not only because of its beautiful grounds, but because it was the site of Leah’s father’s Fireman picnics, where she and her family spent the winters sledding and ice skating, and of course, because it was where David and Leah were married. 

The event will include food, soda, beer, activities for the kids, and live music all day.  We also will be hosting an amazing silent auction and raffle.

The Willows Estate is located at:

Tickets are $40 per couple, $25 per individual. Food and beverage included. Children 12 and under get in free. Donations gratefully accepted. To purchase tickets, or to answer any questions you may have, please contact Stephanie Linn at 215-885-1879, or via email at davidpalooza09@gmail.com

Even if you didn’t know David, please come out and support this cause, because a tragic situation such as this could happen to any of us.  We need to celebrate life, and honor his memory!