It is human
nature for us to feel sorry for ourselves when things are slightly less than
perfect. Then somehow, some way you find something that reminds you of the
truest meaning of life.
Early
Wednesday morning my dog woke me up at an obscene time between 4 and 5 a.m. I
took her outside. When I came back in I saw some students from Penn State’s
Berks County Campus had asked me to re-tweet something encouraging people to
pray for Laney—a Four Diamonds Child fighting for her life.
I re-tweeted
it immediately. It is a small thing to do. That morning as I said some prayers
I added some for Laney and her family, but I still did not know her story.
About two
hours later I got an e-mail from my wife that was a post Laney’s mother had put
on facebook. It was a story that struck her heart, and I dare say would strike
a chord in every mother's soul.
It was heartbreaking,
terrifying yet in an instant some of what Laney’s mother said were among the
most beautiful things I have ever read:
Today
we were told the worst news of our lives. Laney has 70% cancer cells in her
blood. If they would treat the cancer the virus that she has would kill her.
And if they treat the virus the cancer will kill her.
They
gave her a couple days to a couple weeks to live.
My
heart is breaking. I sit here looking at her face trying to remember every
contour of it, I breathe deeply ...against her skin trying to always remember
her smell. Every time she speaks I try to listen for the different way she says
certain words so that I never forget. I keep putting my lips against her warm
skin because I never want to forget how that feels. I'm devastated and I'm
hoping that I will wake up from this nightmare.
We
told Laney and she said she wanted to be the one to tell Kylee and Jacob. She
told Jacob that when she's gone he is to be a good big brother to Kylee. And
she thanked Kylee for being a great sister and her best friend. They all cried
in each other's arms. I have never felt this type of pain in my life.
We
will be taking her home on hospice tomorrow and will be trying to let her have
as much fun as she can handle. We will watch her blow out her eighth birthday
candles knowing that she won't have a ninth. We will also ask Santa to come
early this year because Laney has been such a good girl. Please pray for Laney
and our family. Please pray for a miracle. We will be spending every second
with her till God decides he needs another beautiful angel up in heaven.
Her words are
a testament, bearing witness to what a mother’s love can and should be for her
child. If you are a parent you cannot read what she wrote and not be moved and
not feel the warmth of tears rolling down your face. If you’ve ever sat in a
hospital and watched a loved one knowing what is most likely inevitable you know
some of what the Browns are feeling.
Laney is part
of The Penn State IFC Dance Marathon family and that makes her part of the Penn
State family. Penn State’s finest hour every year is THON—easily eclipsing all
other triumphs. That is what WE ARE all about. The entire Penn State community
pulling together raising millions of dollars so that the miracles we pray for
today become routine cures tomorrow.
It is Laney’s
story and the words of a mother facing heart-rending pain yet holding hope for
faith in what is yet unseen that remind us all what THON is truly about. Laney’s
mother Jenn and her whole family hold onto faith in a miracle that many people
she will never know and never meet are praying for even now.
That is why
our students dance, that is why they stand on corners asking for change, that
is why they spend an entire year so they can hold up a fund-raising total yet
again that blows us all away.
It is all For
The Kids—but also for the families as well. Jenn’s words about her daughter
remind us of that.
But the words
remain as a call to arms, as a challenge to push every day to raise money, to
find cures, to ease the burden of the children and their families and to save
lives.
That call is
being answered every day by students at Penn State through THON and that is
what WE ARE.
When you next
pray please keep in mind a young girl and her family. Pray for a miracle
that only the gentle hand of God can grant. But also pray for the students at
Penn State and their yearly mission fighting for the children and families—people
like Laney and her family.
