On Halloween night, Ian Graves was old enough to go door-to-door for the first time while trick-or-treating. He and his mother, Christy Bishop, dressed as pirates.
"Mommy, skip!" said Ian, who was 23 months old.
Mother and son counted to three together, and then skipped to the next house. Ian loved to count - he recently learned to count to five.
"He and I kept skipping," his mother said.
Of the candy he collected, suckers were his favorite. It was a new experience for Ian in his new neighborhood.
The previous weekend he and Bishop had moved from an apartment in Amelia to a house in Milford that she planned to buy.
While he enjoyed chicken and pizza, pickles were his favorite food. When they ate out, his mother ordered extra pickles on his cheeseburger. "That's pretty much all he'd eat off his cheeseburger - the pickles and the cheese," his mother said.
Ian also liked the Bengals, Spiderman and four-wheelers, said his maternal grandmother, Teresa Ruehlman, of Withamsville.
Ian Matthew Graves was born on Thanksgiving Day 2005. He had a big, joyous first birthday party last year attended by 50 relatives and friends. He died Saturday when his mother's Honda Civic was hit by a minivan while stopped at an intersection in Goshen Township.
Ian, who was in a car seat, had just begun to sing his favorite song - "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" - when the collision occurred.
Police told the family that the minivan was traveling about 60 mph when it swerved around three cars stopped at the intersection and slammed into Bishop's car.
The impact was so violent that Ian was slammed forward then backward when his mom's car was pushed into the trucks behind it, police said.
Ian wasn't breathing when airlifted to Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. Bishop was taken to Bethesda Hospital, where her broken arm was set and a gash in one of her legs was stapled. Afterward, she was taken to Children's, where she got to hold Ian one last time.
"He was smart and beautiful," said his tearful mother. "He gave me my purpose in living. He was the most loving little boy. He loved to sing and count. He just learned to count to five. And he was perfect."
Bishop has a recording of Ian singing "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star." On it, he can be heard laughing and saying, "I love you, Daddy" and "I love you, Mommy."
Lyle Sentman, Bishop's boyfriend, who was also a passenger in her car that day, remains in University Hospital. It may take weeks for him to recover from his injuries.
Ian's family has set up a memorial fund at National City Bank to defray funeral and medical costs and to help Ian's mother pay the rent on her house. Gifts to the Ian Graves Memorial Fund can be made at any National City branch.
In addition to his mother and grandmother, survivors include: his father, Matthew Graves of Cherry Grove; grandparents, Joe Ruehlman of Withamsville, Mike and Sheri Bishop of Amelia and Rob and Kim Graves of Cherry Grove; great-grandparents, Gene Johnson of Alexandria, Carl and Sandy Ruehlman of Milford, Lora and Ron Schweder of Miami Township, Clermont County, Shirley Bishop of Owensville, Ruth and Boyd Williams of Mount Orab, and Bill and Betty Fox of Cherry Grove.
"Mommy, skip!" said Ian, who was 23 months old.
Mother and son counted to three together, and then skipped to the next house. Ian loved to count - he recently learned to count to five.
"He and I kept skipping," his mother said.
Of the candy he collected, suckers were his favorite. It was a new experience for Ian in his new neighborhood.
The previous weekend he and Bishop had moved from an apartment in Amelia to a house in Milford that she planned to buy.
While he enjoyed chicken and pizza, pickles were his favorite food. When they ate out, his mother ordered extra pickles on his cheeseburger. "That's pretty much all he'd eat off his cheeseburger - the pickles and the cheese," his mother said.
Ian also liked the Bengals, Spiderman and four-wheelers, said his maternal grandmother, Teresa Ruehlman, of Withamsville.
Ian Matthew Graves was born on Thanksgiving Day 2005. He had a big, joyous first birthday party last year attended by 50 relatives and friends. He died Saturday when his mother's Honda Civic was hit by a minivan while stopped at an intersection in Goshen Township.
Ian, who was in a car seat, had just begun to sing his favorite song - "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" - when the collision occurred.
Police told the family that the minivan was traveling about 60 mph when it swerved around three cars stopped at the intersection and slammed into Bishop's car.
The impact was so violent that Ian was slammed forward then backward when his mom's car was pushed into the trucks behind it, police said.
Ian wasn't breathing when airlifted to Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. Bishop was taken to Bethesda Hospital, where her broken arm was set and a gash in one of her legs was stapled. Afterward, she was taken to Children's, where she got to hold Ian one last time.
"He was smart and beautiful," said his tearful mother. "He gave me my purpose in living. He was the most loving little boy. He loved to sing and count. He just learned to count to five. And he was perfect."
Bishop has a recording of Ian singing "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star." On it, he can be heard laughing and saying, "I love you, Daddy" and "I love you, Mommy."
Lyle Sentman, Bishop's boyfriend, who was also a passenger in her car that day, remains in University Hospital. It may take weeks for him to recover from his injuries.
Ian's family has set up a memorial fund at National City Bank to defray funeral and medical costs and to help Ian's mother pay the rent on her house. Gifts to the Ian Graves Memorial Fund can be made at any National City branch.
In addition to his mother and grandmother, survivors include: his father, Matthew Graves of Cherry Grove; grandparents, Joe Ruehlman of Withamsville, Mike and Sheri Bishop of Amelia and Rob and Kim Graves of Cherry Grove; great-grandparents, Gene Johnson of Alexandria, Carl and Sandy Ruehlman of Milford, Lora and Ron Schweder of Miami Township, Clermont County, Shirley Bishop of Owensville, Ruth and Boyd Williams of Mount Orab, and Bill and Betty Fox of Cherry Grove.
On Halloween night, Ian Graves was old enough to go door-to-door for the first time while trick-or-treating. He and his mother, Christy Bishop, dressed as pirates.
"Mommy, skip!" said Ian, who was 23 months old.
Mother and son counted to three together, and then skipped to the next house. Ian loved to count - he recently learned to count to five.
"He and I kept skipping," his mother said.
Of the candy he collected, suckers were his favorite. It was a new experience for Ian in his new neighborhood.
The previous weekend he and Bishop had moved from an apartment in Amelia to a house in Milford that she planned to buy.
While he enjoyed chicken and pizza, pickles were his favorite food. When they ate out, his mother ordered extra pickles on his cheeseburger. "That's pretty much all he'd eat off his cheeseburger - the pickles and the cheese," his mother said.
Ian also liked the Bengals, Spiderman and four-wheelers, said his maternal grandmother, Teresa Ruehlman, of Withamsville.
Ian Matthew Graves was born on Thanksgiving Day 2005. He had a big, joyous first birthday party last year attended by 50 relatives and friends. He died Saturday when his mother's Honda Civic was hit by a minivan while stopped at an intersection in Goshen Township.
Ian, who was in a car seat, had just begun to sing his favorite song - "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" - when the collision occurred.
Police told the family that the minivan was traveling about 60 mph when it swerved around three cars stopped at the intersection and slammed into Bishop's car.
The impact was so violent that Ian was slammed forward then backward when his mom's car was pushed into the trucks behind it, police said.
Ian wasn't breathing when airlifted to Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. Bishop was taken to Bethesda Hospital, where her broken arm was set and a gash in one of her legs was stapled. Afterward, she was taken to Children's, where she got to hold Ian one last time.
"He was smart and beautiful," said his tearful mother. "He gave me my purpose in living. He was the most loving little boy. He loved to sing and count. He just learned to count to five. And he was perfect."
Bishop has a recording of Ian singing "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star." On it, he can be heard laughing and saying, "I love you, Daddy" and "I love you, Mommy."
Lyle Sentman, Bishop's boyfriend, who was also a passenger in her car that day, remains in University Hospital. It may take weeks for him to recover from his injuries.
Ian's family has set up a memorial fund at National City Bank to defray funeral and medical costs and to help Ian's mother pay the rent on her house. Gifts to the Ian Graves Memorial Fund can be made at any National City branch.
In addition to his mother and grandmother, survivors include: his father, Matthew Graves of Cherry Grove; grandparents, Joe Ruehlman of Withamsville, Mike and Sheri Bishop of Amelia and Rob and Kim Graves of Cherry Grove; great-grandparents, Gene Johnson of Alexandria, Carl and Sandy Ruehlman of Milford, Lora and Ron Schweder of Miami Township, Clermont County, Shirley Bishop of Owensville, Ruth and Boyd Williams of Mount Orab, and Bill and Betty Fox of Cherry Grove.
"Mommy, skip!" said Ian, who was 23 months old.
Mother and son counted to three together, and then skipped to the next house. Ian loved to count - he recently learned to count to five.
"He and I kept skipping," his mother said.
Of the candy he collected, suckers were his favorite. It was a new experience for Ian in his new neighborhood.
The previous weekend he and Bishop had moved from an apartment in Amelia to a house in Milford that she planned to buy.
While he enjoyed chicken and pizza, pickles were his favorite food. When they ate out, his mother ordered extra pickles on his cheeseburger. "That's pretty much all he'd eat off his cheeseburger - the pickles and the cheese," his mother said.
Ian also liked the Bengals, Spiderman and four-wheelers, said his maternal grandmother, Teresa Ruehlman, of Withamsville.
Ian Matthew Graves was born on Thanksgiving Day 2005. He had a big, joyous first birthday party last year attended by 50 relatives and friends. He died Saturday when his mother's Honda Civic was hit by a minivan while stopped at an intersection in Goshen Township.
Ian, who was in a car seat, had just begun to sing his favorite song - "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" - when the collision occurred.
Police told the family that the minivan was traveling about 60 mph when it swerved around three cars stopped at the intersection and slammed into Bishop's car.
The impact was so violent that Ian was slammed forward then backward when his mom's car was pushed into the trucks behind it, police said.
Ian wasn't breathing when airlifted to Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. Bishop was taken to Bethesda Hospital, where her broken arm was set and a gash in one of her legs was stapled. Afterward, she was taken to Children's, where she got to hold Ian one last time.
"He was smart and beautiful," said his tearful mother. "He gave me my purpose in living. He was the most loving little boy. He loved to sing and count. He just learned to count to five. And he was perfect."
Bishop has a recording of Ian singing "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star." On it, he can be heard laughing and saying, "I love you, Daddy" and "I love you, Mommy."
Lyle Sentman, Bishop's boyfriend, who was also a passenger in her car that day, remains in University Hospital. It may take weeks for him to recover from his injuries.
Ian's family has set up a memorial fund at National City Bank to defray funeral and medical costs and to help Ian's mother pay the rent on her house. Gifts to the Ian Graves Memorial Fund can be made at any National City branch.
In addition to his mother and grandmother, survivors include: his father, Matthew Graves of Cherry Grove; grandparents, Joe Ruehlman of Withamsville, Mike and Sheri Bishop of Amelia and Rob and Kim Graves of Cherry Grove; great-grandparents, Gene Johnson of Alexandria, Carl and Sandy Ruehlman of Milford, Lora and Ron Schweder of Miami Township, Clermont County, Shirley Bishop of Owensville, Ruth and Boyd Williams of Mount Orab, and Bill and Betty Fox of Cherry Grove.
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