Comfort Him

My heart is breaking right now. The third week of July was the Ionia Free fair in Michigan. During that time an eight year old boy collapsed and died while riding a ride. He was with his father, who performed CPR on him immediately, but was still pronounced dead. You may have even heard about it since the news made it across the nation. Being a mother of boys or really just a mother, news like this truly gets to me as I easily, probably too easily, put myself in that parent's shoes. At the time, all that was known was the the boy had had a heart condition but was recently cleared to do any and all activities.

I just found out today that I know the father of that boy. Not well, mind you. But I know him. He comes into the office here at work on regular basis working for a company we work with. But he is not just any dad. This guy ADORED that kid. He is a single father and every time...and I mean EVERY TIME, I saw him he had new pictures to show me of his son, new stories to tell me. Now, I know that every father loves their children. But this guy LIVED for this boy. And to find out today, that it was his son that died, and knowing that he was the paramedic who tried to revive him...well, I am having trouble holding the tears back here in the office. From talking to this guy but never asking him, I believe he is a Christian.

He quotes in the paper,
"We're not real sure what happened," Roger Miller said. "He (Blake) has some heart murmurs, but he'd been clear from his cardiologist to do what a boy can do. Knowing now that he's in heaven looking down on me is a lot more comforting knowing where he's at," Roger told 24 Hour News 8. "But it doesn't ease the pain that he's not here to be hugged every night, and to kiss and to tell him how much I love him."

I haven't seen him in a while and obviously not since then. Not even sure if I will again. I don't how he is or what he has planned. But I pray for this man. Please do the same.