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.
I have lost a son, a granddaughter, and a great-grandson. Time does NOT heal all wounds. In fact, it doesn't heal ANY. But Jeus gave us a medicating salve to put over our wounds ... it's the knowledge that we will be together with our loved ones again in Heaven someday. Thank you, Jesus, for your Saving Grace. Amen.