There was a large gathering at Lebanon Hills Regional Park in Eagan on Saturday to help support families whose children have died without an explanation.

It’s a cause that hits close to home. Former 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS reporter Ginna Roe and her husband Sam Henriksen lost their 18-month-old son earlier this year, and Roe organized the Sunday event “Huddy’s Hike” in his honor.

Little Hudson Henriksen, or “Huddy” as parents Roe and Henriksen lovingly call him, was a smiley, energetic toddler.

“Hudson was bigger than life,” Roe shared. “He was walking, talking and playing, running around.”

“Very curious. He was adventurous, loved the outdoors,” Henriksen added.

Nothing seemed to be wrong until one day in January when Hudson did not wake up.

As Roe explained, the medical examiner classified his death as Sudden, Unexplained, Death in Childhood — or SUDC. It’s similar to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), but rather than infants, SUDC affects children from 1- to 18-years-old.

“We have no idea why our son died. He was perfectly healthy. We did a full autopsy, his medical examiner could not find anything wrong with him. Nothing,” Roe said. “We have no answers, and so that’s what classifies this as SUDC.”

For children between the ages of 1 and 4, SUDC has become the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S., according to the SUDC Foundation. Overall, it’s still considered rare, impacting about one in 100,000 kids.

“That’s not rare enough,” Roe emphasized. “For all the families who’ve lost kids this way, who had to find their babies this way, who just put them to bed and they didn’t wake up — it’s not rare enough, and that’s why people need to know about it.”

Those words were put to action on Saturday as a crowd gathered for Huddy’s Hike, raising awareness and money toward SUDC research in memory of Hudson and nearly a dozen other Minnesota kids pictured at the event. Their sweet faces are just a snapshot of the loss in our state alone, Roe said.

The huge turnout was some cause for celebration amid the sadness. Those in attendance brought with them some hope for the affected families that someday, there could be some answers.

“I’m so grateful for everybody showing up for our cause and for Hudson, just warms my heart,” Sam Henriksen said.

“He was just a happy, happy boy and, as you can see by all the people who are here, he was loved beyond measure and will always be loved,” Roe concluded.

Unlike SIDS, SUDC has never received public funding, according to the SUDC Foundation, so events like Huddy’s Hike are essential to research and support services provided free of charge to grieving families.

For anyone who missed the event but still wishes to donate, click here.

The Henriksens are expecting their second child right around Hudson’s birthday this summer.