OLIVER'S STORY

a little boy who loved to create

Oliver Underhay loved to write stories. He loved to draw pictures. He loved to sing, he loved to play the piano, and he loved to direct impromptu family jams from behind the drumset, or the electric ukulele. He loved to make stop-motion videos with his toy cars. He loved to invent his own board games. He loved to play.

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Every parent thinks the world of their child. But Oliver was a shooting star. He could name nearly every country in the world if you quizzed him. He could beat you in a game of Settlers of Catan, at the age of six. He spun stories out of thin air, from the richness of his imagination, constantly, prolifically. He was the kid on the soccer field dancing like it was the World Cup anytime he got a goal in the net. He made silly jokes and danced in the kitchen and wrestled in the bedroom and brought joy to so many lives. He asked questions about everything. He listened to the answers, and thought about them, and asked more.

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One ordinary afternoon, Oliver sat down at the piano, and began to play. This wasn’t unusual, but there was something different this time. He wasn’t practicing his exercises for music class, or picking out the melody of a favourite song by ear—he was making his own. He was creating new harmonies he hadn’t tried before, discovering new sounds. He kept playing, building on what came before. Everyone around stopped to listen. Everyone could tell that something special was happening—it was a moment that seemed to hold its breath. Oliver was lost in the music. He was creating something new. 

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Oliver's Song was founded to honour his memory, and his legacy, by helping to provide opportunities for all children in Prince Edward Island to learn, grow, and share in the arts. To give them opportunities to create. To help them realize their full potential.

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Thank you, for helping us remember him.

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With gratitude and love,

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Oliver’s Mom (Karri)