I found this while going through my emails. It is from 2008. Spoiler alert--it is a little sad. Also, please forgive any typos. I'll clean it up later.
Hello,
You don't know me from Adam, but I felt very compelled to write to y'all. I don't really know how to go about this kind of thing, so please bear with my inexperience. My name is Loralee Ford. I recently attended a family reunion in Lubbock and on the plane home, I met someone really kind of fantastic. At the bottom of this note, I'm going to include a poem and a blog which I wrote about this 8-year-old boy I met on the plane. I am writing to y'all for two reasons: 1) Hunter is a huge fan of Kevin Fowler. On the way home from Lubbock, he entertained me (quite well, I might add) by singing all the Kevin Fowler songs on his IPOD. This 8-year-old adores Kevin's music. MOre importantly, though, is the second reason. 2) Though Hunter doesn't know the severity of it, he has a tumor on his brain stem. His Daddy told me that he probably won't last a year. I know it is an odd request, but I am actually going to plead with you to consider asking Kevin to visit him (Hunter lives in New Braunfels) or at least leave a message on his website at Caring Bridge (http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/huntertownsend). Thanks for hearing me out.
sincerely,
someone who cares about that little boy,
Loralee
" Words are the Voice of the Heart"
15 Jun 08 Sunday
| He Picked A Bittersweet Blossom
For Hunter Gene, who unhesitatingly offered me his friendship and unknowingly changed my world The almond blossom had barely bloomed in my sight when it began to fade away. But please don't presume, as others might do that, in my heart, this flower won't stay. I saw it bloom for only three lovely hours on a bright sunny Father's Day, And the grief I felt as I walked away was so much more than mere words can say. You WILL NOT fade in vain, oh flower of youth! The world will grow from your seed. Let us loudly proclaim your tale of great hope and together we shall help those in need. Bloom, precious almond blossom; bloom with all of your might! Please Bloom while yet you still can. Let God's light of love shine out from you until He calls you to walk, hand in hand. fin As I walked onto the plane in Lubbock, I had no idea that my world would never be the same again. I looked around for a window seat, but I could tell in one quick glance around the cabin that I wouldn't get my wish. In hindsight, I must say that I'm glad I didn't get my wish cuz if I had, I would have walked right past the empty aisle seat next to Hunter and his Daddy. After my initial query, Dad said the seat was empty and I sat down, happy to have a place to sit on this rapidly filling flight which we learned later was filled to the brim. After I sat and took in a deep breath, I turned to my left to greet my seat mates. A huge, happy smile, blond "summer cut" hair and bright blue eyes greeted me unhesitatingly. I felt welcome immediately. It was wonderful!! Greg (Dad) stayed pretty quiet, but Hunter (my blond, blue-eyed, smiley-faced seat mate) and I talked about everything! Siblings, cruises, IPODS, wrestling, the travel schedule of kids from broken homes and so man other things. After the captain announced our descent into Dallas, Hunter turned to me. "Loralee" he asked, "are you going to go with us to Austin?" He was just so straightforward with his kid logic. We were enjoying ourselves. Of course we should plan to meet up again when it was time to board the plane. On some level, a part of me felt so gratified that this kid liked me enough that he would invite me to spend more time with him and his Daddy. My heart was just bursting with that kind of happiness you feel when you've made a special friend, know what I mean? I had to bite back a smile because I knew where he was going with this question. I decided to answer his question with as much seriousness as he has posed it. "Yes, Hunter, I'll be on the same plane as y'all will be." Only seconds has passed when he asked, straightforwardly, "Well, will you sit with us?" Y'all know my answer, yeah? "That would be lovely, Hunter. Thank you for inviting me." He smiled at me and said, "Yeah and I can teach you how to use your new IPOD on the next flight!" I'm sure it's patently obvious, but I'll state clearly here and now...Hunter charmed me. There really is no other word for it. With his invitation for me to go to his grandpa's home after the flight, and his "You're weird" said in a voice full of the affection which is hard for 8-year-old boy to express, and his continual offer of gum cubes so that my ears "aren't hurted.", and the way he just had to run to catch up with me as we disembarked from the plane, he charmed me and made me feel so special and so extra-super-sure that there is no way on God's green earth that there is any bad in this world. And then the bomb dropped. Quite casually, Hunter mentioned the tumor in his brain. I wasn't worried, though, cuz Hunter and Greg told me all about the medicines and the steroids and the chemotherapy and the radiation he had had. It looked like things might be on the upward path, perhaps. There seemed to be hope, although no one came right out and said it. I guess I should have known then that I had misread the situation, but I didn't seem to have a clue. While all this was happening, my brain was racing! Suddenly, I knew what Homer, the Hero Bird's next adventure would be. Somehow, it would involve Homer, somehow helping a kid (strangely enough, a kid named Hunter Gene who was battling cancer) to some special play land or hospital or something that would make his world better or heal him or something. I was so excited and I knew I would dedicate the book to Hunter and that someday he would read his children this book. Everything was going to be okay. I just knew it!! At the end of the last leg of our journey, Greg handed me a paper with Hunter's website information on it. I was honored, really. Greg trusted me, a virtual stranger, with personal information about his son. I was looking forward to keeping up with the happenings in Hunter's life. The three of us chatted about this and that as we prepared to de-board and then walked down toward the baggage claim. The excitement and scariness of the escalator put Hunter several feet in front of Greg and me. I never imagined that when Greg thanked me for entertaining Hunter that it would be the beginning of a horrible, terrible, no good, very bad conversation. Greg hesitated before starting again. "He's got brain stem glioma" he said seriously and then lowered his voice to a whisper. He dropped a bomb which hit me like an atom bomb. "He's not going to make it," he said with a shake of his head. "Oh no" I whispered as both my heart and eyes began to cry. Hunter was still ahead of us, hanging on a safety gate and being distracted by the sights, sounds and colors swirling about him. I tried to hide my devastation just in case he looked back at me and saw the feelings on my face. It was hard...very hard. Sadly, my ears kept hearing things that continued to take every ounce of wind of my sails: -"He has less than a year." -"He doesn't know, yet. How can I tell him?" I couldn't stop the tears from flowing down my face. I wonder what Greg thought of me...crying about Hunter's fate when I'd only known him for three hours. I briefly touched Greg's arm in a gesture of comfort, but really, I wonder if I didn't need the comfort just as much. I know I'm repeating myself, but I must say again: I was devastated. The only thing which brought me any peace during these moments was the understanding of God's plan. I know, without a doubt, that Hunter will go to Heaven if he dies at his young age. He is too young, too innocent to have been corrupted by this world and to have strayed from the path God has planned for us. That is what makes this so hard for me today. I know some horrible people. One in particular. While he is not a murderer, he is a thief and a liar and he continues to get away with it. He continually and purposefully commits sins...and comes out smelling like a rose to the people who are the most important to him. And he doesn't seem to be having to deal with ANY consequences, yet this precious, beautiful, warm, friendly, loving jewel of a child is dying. "UNFAIR!!!!!!!!" I want to scream as loudly as my mortal voice will allow me to do, but I don't guess it will do me any good. We were never promised a rose garden...at least not on this earth. What we are promised is the chance to prove ourselves...to live through this vale of soul-making and all it's hardships with our love for God still intact. Man, sometimes it's hard, yeah? But at this exact moment, I know one thing for sure: I want to make it through this life still faithful. There are many reasons for this desire of mine, but one of them is certainly the knowledge that I'll be able to hang out with Hunter again. I made a few other decisions today after meeting Hunter. The next Homer, the Hero Bird book? I'm not sure he is going to be cured, but there are reasons for that decision. Homer's job will be to explain to him what is going on and then get him up to Heaven with God. This book has to be a book whereby parents, like Greg, can explain to their children what is going on now and what they can look forward to experiencing when they go...a bit too early...the way of all men. I sure hope my talent for writing can stretch that far. This feels so important. If I can figure out the hows and the wheres, this book HAS to be published and HAS to be popular because surely a (hopefully) large percentage of it's profit will go to San Antonio's Santa Rosa Children's Hospital in Hunter's name. So, I have two requests of you, my dear faithful readers:
Thanks, y'all! And in case I don't tell you often enough, if you're reading this blog, you are probably someone important to me. Thanks for being a part of my life and making it a better place. I love y'all!
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Hey, Y'all!!
I'm so glad you came to visit and welcome your comments!
Hope ya have a great day!
Loralee : )