(Read about "Mikey")
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May 25, 2004

To our Western Baptist Family--
Words cannot express our gratitude for everything that you have done for Mikey and our family. God has truly blessed us with such wonderful friends. All of your thoughts, prayers, cards, notes, drawings, books (Danae Crain made an awesome book), e-mails, IM's, calls, flowers, gifts, balloons, the soccer pillow (which Mike used a lot to get his arm in a comfortable position on the side he broke his collar bone), the support (financial & otherwise), encouraging words & visits have meant so much to all of us through this whole experience.

You were already there at OHSU in the Neurological ICU waiting room praying for Mikey when we arrived on Friday night at 11 p.m. You met us with hugs, tears and prayers. It was so wonderful to have friends there to support us after driving for 5 hours and not knowing if Mikey would be alive when we got there. You prayed together with us & brought us food & clothes. Some of you put puzzles together with us in the waiting room when we couldn't be in ICU with Mikey. You fielded calls for us & kept everyone posted on how things were going. You spent the night with us in the waiting room. We about froze that first night & had scratchy throats the next day. What temperature do they keep that place? Janie Walter's family let us stay in their home several nights when we felt we were able to leave the hospital for short times. Several others of you also offered us places to stay if we hadn't already had a place to stay. There so were many of you up there at the hospital visiting & spending different nights & praying for Mikey. Kathleen Studenny set the record for camping out in the hospital waiting room for our group. She was a giant help to us & Mikey because we had so many doctors, nurses, case workers & people to meet with & she sat by Mike's bed & made sure he was taken care of. Justin Rivard called us several times on our way down to the hospital. He was one of many who met us at the hospital. He wouldn't leave the hospital until he was sure that Mikey was stable. He was right there praying beside us. Each one of you that were there in person or were praying for Mikey & us helped so much.

Trevor Weber & Philip Tallman made an awesome comedy video at the hospital. You'll have to ask them about the elevator portion of the video. Later they spent hours & hours editing & adding very special things to the video for Mikey. He has shown it to quite a few people. It means a lot to him. Those are the only pictures we have of Mikey at OHSU.

The fundraiser that all of you did for Mikey to help us pay his medical bills really touched our hearts. You were all so busy with studying, finals & graduation & yet you took so much of your time & energy to bake & sell desserts, make & serve a special dinner with Mikey's favorite foods, & collect money in so many different ways. Thank you so for your giving in so many ways. We have a great picture of Dustin (his very bald head) & Mikey with one of the posters so many of you signed & the yellow bucket with the overwhelming amount of money that you raised. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

We can't even begin to count how many prayer chains & people that have been praying & continue praying for Mikey & our family. We actually have heard from people all over the United States, Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Ireland & Indonesia. We have felt those prayers each day. God has given us a peace that we know could only come from Him.

Now for the awesome news! Mikey is improving so fast that he is even surprising the doctors & physical therapists. Three WB students that had not seen him since he had the accident, saw him at a wedding on May 22nd & said that he's the same Mikey & that they would never have known that he had been in an accident if they hadn't been told & got to see the pictures. Your prayers are making a such a big difference. Mikey has a great attitude. This really helps in his recovery. Of course he wishes that he could be back to 100% right away. He's going to physical therapy three times a week. They are working him really hard to get him back in shape for soccer camp in August.

Mike received a brain injury. He did not have a concussion, but an acceleration/deceleration injury when the skull stopped & the brain (which is like jello) kept going and hit the inside of his skull. (Like when a baby is shook & it's brain is injured.) He had four small places in his brain that bled because of that injury. The injury affected his short term memory, his concentration & his ability to be in noisy environments without getting tired. This is getting better every day. He also had a broken right clavicle, contusions on his left lung, bruising on his left elbow & a scrape about the size of a quarter on the left side of his head above his ear which was the only place he was bleeding externally. He is definitely one of God's miracles!

We thank God each day that he is with us & that he's making such a remarkable recovery. The doctors say that he will make a complete recovery. The neurosurgeon said that he saw no reason why Mikey wouldn't be able to return to school & soccer in August. He is looking forward to being back with you at WB. He really misses everyone.

Thank you again for everything!!

Love & Prayers

Dale, Robin, Ryan, Tracy & Mikey