A funeral service for Hayes Brooks Mercer, 1, of Temple, will be held at noon Friday, Feb. 20 at Crotty Funeral Home in Belton. A visitation will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 20 prior at the funeral home.

Hayes was born on July 7, 2024 in Temple, Texas to his parents — Haley and Kylar Mercer. From the moment he entered this world, Hayes changed everyone who had the gift of knowing him. He changed the way we live, the way we love, and the way we see others. Because of him, we move more gently, speak more kindly, and hold tighter to the moments that matter most. His love didn’t end when he left this world — it only spread, living on in all of us he touched.

Hayes Brooks, our precious and beloved son, passed away on February 12th at nineteen months old in Temple, Texas. Hayes was truly extraordinary — smart, outgoing, adventurous, and completely perfect in every way. Music was his joy, and when it played, his whole soul seemed to dance. He loved to laugh and fill every room with light. We will forever be changed because he was ours.

Though his life was short, Hayes gave a lifetime of love. He is cradled in Heaven and surrounded by eternal love — A love that never ends, and neither does his spirit.