Eli Emery Paine was born September 12, 2015 to Christopher Dennis Paine and Rachel Elizabeth (Holvay) Paine in Wellington, Florida.

To know Eli is to love him. Eli was a friend to everyone he met and his smile would light up a room. He was a kind, affectionate, wild, and charismatic little boy. Eli loved superheroes - The Flash being his favorite; all things Disney; and, celebrating every holiday with the utmost enthusiasm, sharing his love for the Michael Bublé Christmas album with his mommy. He loved to sing songs - memorizing all of the lyrics, to even his favorite “Believer” by Imagine Dragons and his Sea Shanty Medleys.

Eli took every opportunity to swim in the pool and was a master at cannon balls. Playing his favorite video games with his Daddy and uncles Andrew and Arnold. He played recreational soccer along side his big sister, June. Scoring several goals and sprinting passed all the other kids with his endless energy. June and Eli had a beautiful bond that does not have limits to Earth. They could spend hours playing make believe, school, mommy and baby, Roblox, or any other game June came up with and Eli would just go along with. Anything to be near Sissy. He had a special connection with baby sister, Lucy, always wanting to hold her, kiss her, and be near her. Eli fell in love with Lucy before he ever laid eyes on her. He wished her a good morning and a good night every day while she grew in mommy’s belly. He even tried to encourage her to come out early by telling her “It’s okay baby, you can come out now, we’re not criminals”. He had a pact with daddy, “buddies forever”, that was said daily to each other and he was a momma’s boy. He affectionately would call mommy his queen and kiss each cheek and her forehead.

Eli was fascinated with outer space, wanting to be an astronaut farmer, and was a rock enthusiast; sometimes forgetting he collected them until they were found denting the dryer. Above all though, Eli loved Jesus. He was so incredibly brave and was not afraid to go to Heaven.

Eli loved his many friends and family fiercely. He made sure to never leave anyone out and he had a way of making you feel so special. If he saw you he would shout your name and wave big like you were a celebrity to him. He loved going to his MiMi and PaPa’s house. He looked for special treats and would often ask if MiMi had any “surprises” for him, knowing she always had a surprise for him! He gave the best hugs and the sweetest I love you’s. June said he had the best laugh.

Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." Matthew 19:14

Eli is free from the disease that stole so much from him over the past 14 months. He took his last breath, peacefully, in the arms of his parents and went RUNNING into Jesus's arms on Tuesday, September 20, 2022. Eli is now living the best there is. Many hearts are shattered here on Earth without him but we are also rejoicing knowing that Eli is free from pain, pokes, scans, medicine and can run, talk, eat and sing! There is no doubt that he is talking Jesus's ear off and asking where the good snacks are kept. DIPG did not win, God won, Eli is fully healed! That is the power of the cross.

From Rachel, Eli's mommy - "The Cure Starts Now stepped into Eli’s journey with DIPG early on. They invited us to a DIPG Symposium to hear about research and meet others going through this awful disease. It is important to our family to partner with CSN to help raise money to help them fund research for DIPG. When a donation comes through on Eli’s page it warms my heart that my boy is remembered and makes us feel like we are doing our part to help find a cure."

Thank you for choosing to donate to The Cure Starts Now Foundation. 100% of this donation, after credit card processing fees, goes directly towards research to find the homerun cure for cancer starting with pediatric brain cancer research.

If you would like to make a donation by mail please send a check to:  The Cure Starts Now Foundation; 10280 Chester Road; Cincinnati, OH 45215 and put the child's name in the memo.

The family receives notification of all donations made to this tribute fund automatically.