[BraveMan]

I wanted to thank each and every one of you personally for taking the time to pray for us in our time of need. We could not have gotten through to this point without your prayers for strength and comfort. This thank you is long overdue, I know. It has taken this long for me to be able to summon the strength to deal with this in the manner I must; I thank you all for your patience.

To Howlin, Positive, Calico Cat, freedom44, JoJo Gunn, Euro-American Scum, silverleaf, WVNan and Estra Jean: We share a burden none of us would have taken on willingly. Truly no one can understand the depths of grief and dispair felt by those in our circumstance, unless they've experienced it for themselves. Many have said to us they understand, when truly they do not. They mean well, yet unless you've lived through the experience of losing a child, you simply cannot understand, as it is beyond a person's ability to reason through. Like you, I am exceedingly thankful for the moments, rare as they are, when I can set aside the pain and find myself able to smile and enjoy the moment. I treasure those moments (I used to take for granted) like never before. Perhaps the most difficult thing for me to endure is the realization that we are neither alone or unique in our loss; there are countless others just like us, sharing this very same burden.

To joanie-f: Thank you for your generous gift, and for the spirit in which it was given. Please know that my family has benefited from it as much as you had hoped, and more. If there is anything I can do to repay your kindness, you need only ask.

To ValerieUSA: Thank you for the picture of the Sonrise. We cherish it more than you know. Thanks again.

To ODDITHER: God has blessed you with the gift of discernment. You are absolutely correct. I had no idea how many lives he touched in a positive way until after he was gone. Shame on me for not fully recognizing it until he was gone. I take a small measure of comfort from the knowledge my son had such a positive influence on so many other kids.

To those who did not post to this thread but prayed for us in secret, please accept our sincere gratitude. May God reward you openly for your prayers in secret, as He promised He would.

I ask that you all continue to pray for our son's friend, Matthew. While his physical injuries are nearly all healed, the injury to his mind and soul from the devastation at his hand continues to torment him. He needs the healing powers your prayers provide every bit as much as we do, if not more-so.

My wife has created a memorial web site celebrating the life of our son. I invite all of you to visit this site, share your thoughts and celebrate the life of our son. Click on the link below to visit this site.

http://www.jacobgosselin.memory-of.com/about.aspx

Know that all of you are in our prayers as well. Thank you all again.

[StarCMC]

Tears and prayers again for your family.

[BlessedBeGod]

Continued prayers for your family, and special prayers for Matthew.

[The Mayor]

Beautiful website.

I Pray the Lord continues to give you strength and are guided by His wisdom.

God Bless.

[TASMANIANRED]

My continued prayers for both you and his friend.

It is good to celebrate that he was.

[JoeSixPack1]

My brother biker and friend, my prayers are with you.

[Kitty Mittens]

Prayers Arising for you, your Wife, and Matthew.

My Heartfelt Love in God goes out to you, with Hugs and Continued Prayers.

[Peach]

What a beautiful web site and tribute to your dear son. I am so deeply sorry.

[xsmommy]

praying anew for you both and your son's friend. the website it just lovely, and extremely touching. God bless you both and gran you some comfort. Please God, heal Matthew, mentally and spiritually, as he bears an unbearable burden.

[DollarBill]

What a wonderful tribute to your son; thank you for sharing it. May you be always comforted by God's love and the love and support of your family & friends.

[Howlin]

Thanks for writing that, BM; you put into words what many of us feel but cannot express adequately.

And, of course, your loss brings back my loss, so we are forever linked in our grief in a club we never wanted to belong to.

Just take some comfort in knowing that there will come a day when your every thought doesn't end with "but Jacob is dead." I can't say when, but it will come. You never get over it, you just learn to live with it as a part of your life.

I love your web site; it must have been very painful for her to work on. Very brave.

And I will certainly pray for Matthew; I have sort of that same situation since the boy who Drew lived with is the one who started the generator and who found him; it's hard watching that struggle in such a young person. All I can say is that four and a half years later, I am still telling him I don't blame him. How senseless it would be to lose Jacbo and Drew, and have it destroy two other boys' lives. Praying hard. And pray for strength for all of us survivors.

[Smokin' Joe]

Thank you for your kind remarks. May God continue to protect, guide, strengthen, and heal you all. More prayers sent.

[Dawgreg]

I can't even fathom the pain and grief that comes at losing a child. I've heard said many times that it's not natural for a parent to bury a child, that the child buries the parent. May God's loving arms surround you and give you comfort. God bless and comfort your family.

[CaptainK]

That you had the strength and grace to write such a beautiful thank you is a tribute to your son.

[OpusatFR]

I'm sorry. May God help you, your family and friends live with this grief.

[amom]

Thank you for the ping and the link to Jacob's memorial webpage. Such a great kid. Continued prayers for the healing salve only time brings.

[Pajamajan]

Prayers for you, your family and your son's friend Matthew for continued comfort as you grieve. The web site is beautiful. The Peace of the Lord be with you.

[Lando Lincoln]

My parayers and heartfelt sympathy.

Lando

[MamaB]

May God continue to bless you from someone who is walking in your shoes. Believe me, it is the hardest thing a parent will ever have to do. We lost our younger daughter, Jan, on 1/15/04 to complications of Crohn's Disease.

[WVNan]

That tribute is almost more than I could stand. I can understand how his Mother could put the site together. It required a lot of focus, but I don't see how she or you can now look at it and not come unglued. It hit so close to my hurt it brought the tears. Jake was a very handsome young man. He had that open, "everyone is my friend" kind of face that makes him look angelic. What an adorable baby he was. Awwww, it's too much, just too much. God strengthen.

[mad_as_he$$]

Our deepest sympathy.

Pass it on.

My deepest fear is that I outlive my children. I can not imagine the pain.