A Laval family is turning the death of a toddler into a fundraising legacy in her name.

Alesia Karidogiannis died suddenly and unexpectedly in 2010.

"She went for a nap in the middle of the afternoon and she didn't wake up," said her mother Sheyda Senoglu.

An autopsy discovered Alesia had an undiagnosed heart condition. Rare, with no symptoms, nobody knew that one day Alesia would lie down and never wake up.

"When we went to the hospital, the doctors told us basically that they tried everything they could, her heart had stopped," said Senoglu.

Her death left a void in the lives of those who knew her, with the few things she made carefully preserved, and a longing for her family to do more.

"All I kept thinking was, she was here, but she's not going to be forgotten, but how?" said Senoglu.

A year after Alesia's death her family created a fundraising children's fair that has since become an annual event, and has brought in tens of thousands of dollars.

"Our first event took place May 15, 2011 about a year after her passing and it was beyond our expectations," said Alesia's father Bill. "

"We put the word out and we waited to see what happened. May 15th and 'boom' we had like 1,500 people walk through the door."

The first Children's Fair raised $60,000, which her family donated to the Montreal Children's Hospital.

The money raised in that first year went towards a heart monitor for the hospital, along with funding other essential equipment.

It also sparked a tradition that is now in its third year, with a large fundraising event scheduled for April 14 at The Palace in Laval.

Alesia's family is now hoping to raise $400,000 over the next five years.

"Our next goal is to fund the playroom/waiting area for the day surgery at the children's hospital," said Karidogiannis.

He, along with his family and many other people, is taking inspiration from Alesia's short life to create a permanent legacy.

"In a small way it makes up for the loss of our little one. and if we could save 10, 20, 100 even better."