An infant that won the love of the internet when his mother dressed him up as presidential candidate Bernie Sanders has tragically passed away.
According to a Facebook post by the boy’s mother Souxsie Lomas, Oliver Lomas-Davis passed away late last month of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
Oliver, dressed in his costume, met his lookalike at a Las Vegas rally in mid-February. The picture of Sanders and his young fan was retweeted hundreds of times and spawned the hashtag #BernieBaby.
Lomas informed the public of the heartbreaking news with a number of social media posts.
Oliver Jack Carter Lomas... I love you dearly, I love you most. I love you with all my heart and soul. I know that God will keep you near since God and truth are here.
Posted by Souxsie Lomas on Monday, February 29, 2016
#berniebaby RIP pic.twitter.com/UQxKvMZmGw
— Susan Lomas (@SusieLomas) March 1, 2016
Oliver’s aunt Anastasia Lomas has started a GoFundMe page that will go toward the boy’s funeral services and counselling. The page has already met its goal of $16,000 in just four short days.
According to the GoFundMe page, services for the Oliver Lomas-Davis will take place at Forest Lawn funeral home in Los Angeles next Monday.
According to the CDC, 3,500 children die of SIDS each year.