COEUR d'ALENE - "Every life makes a difference, no matter how short."

These are words from a poem written by Brian Rauscher, one of the event organizers of the 2013 Run for the Angels 5K. He read the poem to those who assembled Sunday evening during the remembrance ceremony at Riverstone Gazebo following the run.

"You've made a big difference, a huge one you see," he read, "all the lives that you've touched here, and that includes me."

The event, presented by the Inland Northwest SIDS Foundation, was held to bring awareness to sudden infant death syndrome and sudden unexpected infant death as well as provide support and healing for families that have experienced the tragedies.

"The death of a child is incredibly difficult," said Liz Montgomery, executive director and founder of the INSIDS foundation.

"The Run for the Angels is to create awareness, educate and to support families that have lost babies."

Hundreds of people gathered in the afternoon, and when the run began at 4 p.m., the Centennial Trail was awash in a sea of blue T-shirts. The event T-shirts were worn by many, but some chose to wear shirts depicting a child who fell victim to SIDS or SUID.

"It's incredibly heartbreaking," said Meredith Myers, 36, of Kingston. She and her family wore shirts remembering her friend's little girl Jovi, who died last July.

"I don't even have the words. Being a mom ..." she said. "I can't imagine."

Ashleigh Ianno, 26, and Russ Ward, 29, both of Post Falls, also attended in support of one of their good friends who lost a baby son.

"I don't think a lot of people put in the factors of what could happen to your child," Ianno said. "You know, things happen, and they need to know about it. It's hard to have to go through something like that. I would hate for something like that to happen to anybody."

"There's never a bad reason to support a good cause," Ward added. "No matter what it is. Even if it's never happened to you, it's worth it."

The event featured a crib bumper drive and booths providing education on SIDS/SUID as well as information on community support. The remembrance ceremony included a balloon release, with notes of love attached to the ribbons, and luminary bags with names of the remembered babies. A recitation of names was part of the closing.

For information on safe sleeping habits for infants and SIDS/SUID, visit www.inwsids.org