NBC News journalist Richard Engel has shared a sweet birthday message to his late son Henry, marking what would have been his seventh birthday.
Henry sadly passed away just last month after suffering from Rett Syndrome, an extremely rare neurological disorder which affects the way the brain develops.
Taking to Twitter on Thursday, 49-year-old Richard posted a picture of his son and thanked fans for their support.
He wrote: "Henry would have turned 7 today. A big thank you to everyone who sent kind and thoughtful messages, and donated to support medical research to defeat Rett Syndrome.
"Happy Birthday Binks (our nickname)."
Richard also encouraged people to continue to donate to researchers trying to find a treatment.
Fans offered their condolences to Richard, with many opening up about their own experiences with child bereavement.
One person said: "Our "anniversary" of losing our son is on 11/13. Lost him 6 years ago now. It is hard every single time, stay strong and try to memorialize Binks however you and your family see fit. No one who hasn't experienced this loss will ever understand."
Another wrote: "My heart goes out to these parents who lost their beautiful boy. The love you poured into him will leave ripples into your lives for years to come. RIP Sweet Henry!"
"I am so sorry for your loss and everything you and your family have gone through. Incredible strength shown by Henry and everyone involved with his precious life," penned a third fan.
Richard and his wife Mary Forrest welcomed Henry in 2015 and received his Rett syndrome diagnosis two years later.
At the time, the foreign correspondent opened up about how the disability would impact Henry as he grew older, preventing him from performing daily tasks such as walking or getting dressed.
"It’s not just delay. It means lifelong, permanent, untreatable physical and intellectual impairment," he said on the Today show.
"Unfortunately, the more we learned about it, the worse the news got."
Three months before losing his eldest child, Richard shared an update on Henry's health.
He tweeted: "For everyone following Henry’s story, unfortunately he’s taken a turn for the worse. His condition progressed and he’s developed dystonia: uncontrolled shaking/ stiffness.
"He was in the hospital for 6 weeks, but is now home and getting love from brother Theo."
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