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East Bridgewater 5K Road Race Celebrates Your 'Inner Sparkle'

EAST BRIDGEWATER (CBS) -- Bright pink colors, face painting, and dancing fit the theme of a 5K road race in East Bridgewater Saturday.

This third annual Tutu Run and Sparklefest was in honor of Syndey Craven.

"She was just amazing. She had a twinkle in her eye," said Sydney's mom Heather Craven said. "She left a sparkle everywhere she went."

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Sydney Craven Memorial Fund 3rd Annual Tutu Run and Sparklefest (WBZ-TV)

Sydney passed away three years ago from Sudden Unexplained Death in a Child or SUDC. "SIDS is from newborn to 12 months old, a year old. And SUDC is a year and over. Both there are no reasons," Craven said.

Heather and Shane Craven have turned their tragedy into something positive by creating the Sydney Craven Memorial Fund.

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Sydney's mom Heather Craven (WBZ-TV)

On Saturday, everyone was dressed in a tutu just like Sydney. "She had pink, and she had sparkle, and she had a bow in every color and tutu for every occasion," Craven said.

Sydney passed away just nine days shy of her second birthday. The family is making sure her love and legacy sparkle amongst all the children participating in the event.

"Being a father is amazing and she was always happy and smiling, singing, tapping her feet," Shane said. "It's been three years. I still cry almost every day. It's just one of those things and it's Father's Day. It's tough."

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Participants at the third annual Tutu Run and Sparklefest (WBZ-TV)

More than 500 people participated in the activities.

All the money goes toward scholarships to help children in surrounding Bridgewater community and "enhancing their inner sparkle," said Craven.

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