Yesterday I spoke of being a weary traveler stumbling down a broken road. This morning I awoke contemplating how life is a journey of many roads. I never imagined that Mitchell’s Journey would become woven into the journey of so many others. There was no way to know this journey of grief and sorrow would touch hearts and inspire people to choose different paths for their betterment. Or that people would rediscover love, family and faith. We are deeply humbled by all that has happened and still trying to put our heads around everything.
In truth, we would rather be an invisible family living out our lives with Mitch and our other kids. Mitch never wanted to be a catalyst for awareness or a source of inspiration … he just wanted to be 10. With all that I am, I wish I could have given that to him. But such was not our lot. To my great heartache, my son is gone and I can’t change that. But I can choose the steps before me – and I hope I can be like the Good Samaritan who stops to love and lift another.
It wasn't long after Mitchell’s passing I received a message from Melissa Dewitt of Colorado. Sometime prior she started following Mitchell’s Journey and was touched by our sons fight to survive. A stranger to us at the time she sent us a message that she might be in Salt Lake City soon and wanted to meet my family and visit Mitchell’s place of rest. With thousands of messages a month, it isn't possible to respond to everyone; though we try … we really try. Somehow the stars aligned and we connected. We were so touched by her kindness.
Within a few months Melissa and her family came to Salt Lake City and met us at the cemetery. It was both sobering and wonderful. They are such a loving, sincere family and we were blessed by the chance to know them. Since that meeting we have considered them dear friends of our family and our lives are richer because of them.
Just recently Melissa, having been moved by Mitchell’s Journey, decided to support PPMD – an organization that is leading the DMD & medical communities to find a solution to this fatal disease.
On May 18th Melissa will be running for “Run for Our Sons” … a PPMD fundraiser. For those who followed our story earlier last year, you’ll remember Pat Furlong of PPMD was the one that reached out to us and rallied the national medical community to try and save our son. Pat Furlong moved heaven and earth to try and save Mitch. We love and honor Pat and PPMD. They are making a difference. Every single day PPMD makes a difference. Every day they are driving solutions one step closer to a cure. But alas, a cure remains miles away.
For those who are able, please support our friend Melissa in her efforts to honor Mitch and run for our sons. http://www.parentprojectmd.org/site/TR?px=1550221&fr_id=3210&pg=personal
I am inspired by the many Good Samaritans we have met along our own journey. Melissa is one of them. She, like all of us, has a life and/or family to love and care for. She has a journey and road to travel that is uniquely hers – yet she decided to spend time and energy to help others who are afflicted with DMD. Other boys like Mitch. I love and honor her for that.
And then there’s Pat Furlong … a remarkable mother who lost two boys to DMD. Two. My eyes well with tears as I contemplate the enormity of her loss; two wonderfully, precious sons just like Mitch. She didn't shrink under the profound sorrow of losing her boys – rather she rose like a lion in defense of our sons and started PPMD two decades ago. Her road was also broken, yet she carried her broken heart while leading and lifting others. I am in awe of her.
So on this journey of many roads, I salute the Good Samaritans who take time while traveling their own journey, often at the expense of comfort or convenience, to help another. Melissa & Pat, and so many of you who reach out to lift and love, to lead and change … you inspire me. Every single day, you inspire me.
To everyone who has been following Mitchell’s Journey, to friends and family, and those in our neighborhood and ward who want to help, I want to offer a heart-felt thank you. It is such a perplexing time for us ... and we don't know how to be helped. So much of what is before us is far beyond anything anyone can do to fix. But your personal concern, and the concern of others, has done much more for us than any temporal assistance could.
I had a sweet experience last month with a friend of mine who is a Bishop (a religious leader in my church). We have worked together professionally in the past and through the years he has become a dear friend. As we sat in my office, he was asking about Mitchell and we both started to cry and he made a comment about "mourning with those that mourn" and in an instant those words that I had heard a million-and-one times growing up, took on a deep, rich and fulfilling meaning. As far back as I can remember I have always tried to be compassionate to others ... and if I couldn't directly sympathize I would deeply empathize with those who suffered. But being on the receiving end of that empathy ... seeing him mourn with me ... that was quite different and I learned a lot from that quite Spirit-felt exchange. Many of you, in your most sincere gestures (both public and private), have mourned with us and that has been remarkably strengthening.
While navigating the labyrinth of pain and sorrow, Natalie and I often talk about finding joy … and we believe it is all around us. I think joy is a natural byproduct of gratitude. It's so often the little things, if appreciated, that bring joy to life and amplify happiness. There is so much to be grateful for. There are tender mercies all around us, every day.
I've always struggled with the dinner prayer ritual where people say, "please bless this food that it may nourish and strengthen our minds and bodies ..." or anyone who might say the same things every day in the same way. I have expressly taught my kids to never do that - but rather to be very specific and genuine with Heavenly Father. When they pray they say "we are so very grateful for macaroni and cheese, we absolutely love it and are blessed to be able to eat it. thank you!" I have found this idea spilling into their personal prayers ... where they ask for less and thank Heavenly Father more for the little things they enjoy in life. They express gratitude for warm blankets, soft pillows and good friends. And quietly, when they express gratitude for the little things, I thank Heavenly Father for their little souls and humble hearts. I believe it is in recognizing the many blessings we already have that we find happiness. That isn't to say life isn't painful for us and that we wish things were otherwise - but our trials, when placed in the context of our blessings, seem to give us a much more balanced and joyful perspective.
Even in the midst of our deep heartache with our son's prognosis, we have seen God work in our lives . . . for which we are deeply grateful and we can find joy in the midst of our pain.
So when you reach out to us ~or others~ ... and offer genuine love and concern, [you] have already done more than we could ever ask. And in our hearts we pray that it will be counted unto you as if you performed a million acts of service.
So in our suffering, we have come to understand the magnificent doctrine of "mourning with those that mourn" and the relief it can bring to heavy hearts. After all, it is the battles that rage inside our minds and hearts that are in greatest need of others service - and that you all have done that so beautifully for us by extending the pure love of Christ.
Thank you. Thank you for teaching us time and again this powerful principle of mourning with those that mourn.
To everyone who has been following Mitchell’s Journey, to friends and family, and those in our neighborhood and ward who want to help, I want to offer a heart-felt thank you. It is such a perplexing time for us ... and we don't know how to be helped. So much of what is before us is far beyond anything anyone can do to fix. But your personal concern, and the concern of others, has done much more for us than any temporal assistance could.
I had a sweet experience last month with a friend of mine who is a Bishop (a religious leader in my church). We have worked together professionally in the past and through the years he has become a dear friend. As we sat in my office, he was asking about Mitchell and we both started to cry and he made a comment about "mourning with those that mourn" and in an instant those words that I had heard a million-and-one times growing up, took on a deep, rich and fulfilling meaning. As far back as I can remember I have always tried to be compassionate to others ... and if I couldn't directly sympathize I would deeply empathize with those who suffered. But being on the receiving end of that empathy ... seeing him mourn with me ... that was quite different and I learned a lot from that quite Spirit-felt exchange. Many of you, in your most sincere gestures (both public and private), have mourned with us and that has been remarkably strengthening.
While navigating the labyrinth of pain and sorrow, Natalie and I often talk about finding joy … and we believe it is all around us. I think joy is a natural byproduct of gratitude. It's so often the little things, if appreciated, that bring joy to life and amplify happiness. There is so much to be grateful for. There are tender mercies all around us, every day.
I've always struggled with the dinner prayer ritual where people say, "please bless this food that it may nourish and strengthen our minds and bodies ..." or anyone who might say the same things every day in the same way. I have expressly taught my kids to never do that - but rather to be very specific and genuine with Heavenly Father. When they pray they say "we are so very grateful for macaroni and cheese, we absolutely love it and are blessed to be able to eat it. thank you!" I have found this idea spilling into their personal prayers ... where they ask for less and thank Heavenly Father more for the little things they enjoy in life. They express gratitude for warm blankets, soft pillows and good friends. And quietly, when they express gratitude for the little things, I thank Heavenly Father for their little souls and humble hearts. I believe it is in recognizing the many blessings we already have that we find happiness. That isn't to say life isn't painful for us and that we wish things were otherwise - but our trials, when placed in the context of our blessings, seem to give us a much more balanced and joyful perspective.
Even in the midst of our deep heartache with our son's prognosis, we have seen God work in our lives . . . for which we are deeply grateful and we can find joy in the midst of our pain.
So when you reach out to us ~or others~ ... and offer genuine love and concern, [you] have already done more than we could ever ask. And in our hearts we pray that it will be counted unto you as if you performed a million acts of service.
So in our suffering, we have come to understand the magnificent doctrine of "mourning with those that mourn" and the relief it can bring to heavy hearts. After all, it is the battles that rage inside our minds and hearts that are in greatest need of others service - and that you all have done that so beautifully for us by extending the pure love of Christ.
Thank you. Thank you for teaching us time and again this powerful principle of mourning with those that mourn.