To Remember Me

An essay by Robert T. Test

The day will come when my body will lie upon a sheet, neatly tucked under four corners of a mattress located in a hospital, busily occupied with the living and the dying.

At a certain moment a doctor will determine that my brain has ceased to function and that, for all intents and purposes, my life has stopped.

When that happens, do not attempt to instill artificial life into my body by the use of a machine. And don’t call this my death-bed. Let it be called the Bed of Life and let my body be taken from it to help others lead fuller lives.

Give my sight to the man who has never seen a sunrise, a baby’s face or love in the eyes of a woman.
 
Give my heart to a person whose own heart has caused nothing but endless days of pain.

Give my blood to the teenager who was pulled from the wreckage of his car, so that he might live to see his grandchildren play.

Give my kidneys to one who depends on a machine to exist from week to week.

Take my bones, every muscle, every fibre and nerve in my body to find a way to make a crippled child walk.

Explore every corner of my brain.
 
Take my cells, if necessary, and let them grow, so that some day,
a speechless boy will shout at the crack of a bat and a deaf girl will hear the sound of rain against her window.

Burn what is left of me and scatter the ashes to the winds to help the flowers grow.

If you must bury something, let it be my faults, my weaknesses and all prejudice against my fellow man.

Give my sins to the devil. Give my soul to God.

If, by chance, you wish to remember me, do it with a kind deed or word to someone who needs you.

If you do all I have asked, I will live forever.

In Memoriam – Chad Lee, Jr.

Yesterday, I received an email from Courtney Hubbard. She teaches a 4th grade class at Magnolia Park Elementary School in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. I wrote about them in yesterday’s post. (Please read it first so that the remainder of this story makes sense.)

Here is what Courtney wrote in her email:

I received a phone call today from a student’s mother, and she informed me that he was killed in a car accident last night.

Chad was very into Ben’s story and sent him several items.  His mother wanted me to let you know that he had been begging her to go to the store to buy tons of things for Ben, but she told him it would mean more if he sent something of his own that he liked.  There’s an envelope in the “care package” with several Hot Wheels cars…those are from Chad.  He also drew Ben a picture.

As a teacher, sometimes we prepare children for things that we don’t understand WHY at the time.  We just happened to find Ben’s story on the Internet and email you.  We discussed organ donations and all of the benefits.

Chad’s family DONATED his organs!

God always has a plan for everything in our lives, and HE sure had a major plan for our class of fourth graders to team up with Ben and Uncle Vernon.  Chad was 10 years old, and I could not help but think of Adrianne.  I talked to Chad’s mother about her and how it would be wonderful for her to get his heart.  We did talk about her in class and go to the links you provided.

Chad’s mom and I both agree that Ben has his very own GUARDIAN ANGEL in heaven, and his name is Chad Lee, Jr. 

…

Our school and school district will do all that we can for them (Chad’s family).  You take care of Ben because I know that meant a lot to Chad.  I would love to share their (Ben and Chad) story with others.  I know that what was taught in my classroom wasn’t taught by accident.  It was all part of a much bigger plan.  I am overcome with emotion by it all.  Chad was the perfect student, and he had the biggest heart.

…

Thanks for all of your help.  With it, I have been able to introduce and prepare a classroom of fourth graders with what has happened.

We’ll be keeping up with Ben’s progress.  Please keep us posted!

Thanks so much for all your help,
Courtney

The following story was aired last night about Chad:

Brad Kessie Talks To Grieving Family Of Young Hero

Chad Lee The Lee family wanted to share its heart-wrenching story of a 10-year-old who did more with his life Tuesday night than many of us will ever do. Chad Lee, Junior was a fourth grader at Magnolia Park Elementary in Ocean Springs. His family believes he died in a traffic accident Tuesday night just like he lived — thinking of others first. Brad Kessie tells us about Chad Lee, Junior and his truly remarkable act of bravery.

Chad’s obituary can be read here.

Ben’s family grieve’s with the Lee family over the loss of their precious son. We will never forget their family’s caring, loving, and selfless act to donate Chad’s organs. If it were not for the courage of families such as Chad’s, Ben would not have received a second chance at life.

Magnolia Park Elementary School

   

Magnolia Park Elementary School is located in Ocean Springs, Mississipppi. Students at this school – in Mrs. Hubbard’s 4th grade class – were studying the human body and researching heart transplants on the Internet just two days after Ben received his new heart.

They found Ben’s story and sent the following message;

Dear Ben and family,

Our class has been studying the human body, and we were researching heart transplants on the internet. Mrs. Hubbard had just told us a story about her three-year old son, Brock having a heart prodecure done at UAB last Christmas when your story popped up on the Montgomery Advertiser, and we read it as a class. You are a very strong and courageous boy, and you are an inspiration to all of us. Through your story, we’ve been able to discuss the importance of organ donations. We’ve researched the people waiting for transplants, donors, the procedures, and the pure joy of the recipients’ families. Being in Alabama, we feel a connection because you’re so close to Mississippi.

We are keeping all of you in our thoughts and prayers daily, and we will be keeping up with your story on the internet.

Stay strong and keep taking pictures for us to view.

Love always,

Mrs. Hubbard and class

Magnolia Park Elementary

Ocean Springs, MS

I have been exchanging emails with her class and explaining some of the challenges Ben will face as he recovers.

Today, Ben received a basketball goal with adjustable stand and ball from Mrs. Hubbard’s family and 4th grade students. It is a small one that can be set up in his hospital room. This will encourage him to stand, stretch and exercise his weak arm and leg muscles. (They also informed me that a care package is on the way).

Ben and family want to thank Courtney Hubbard, her family, and her students for their kind words and generous gifts.

PS - Below is another photo of Mrs. Hubbard’s class — they wanted to send a “silly” version that would make Ben laugh.

 

PSS – Please read the next post about about Chad Lee, Jr.

Team Alabama

After the story of Ben’s heart transplant was published in the Montgomery Advertiser, I was contacted by a local mother, Vickie Lloyd, who is affiliated with “Team Alabama”. Vickie’s son, Carter Lloyd, was a liver recipient when he was almost two years old. He is now 13 years old and doing fine.

Vicki sent the following message:

Hello!

Today many of us here is Montgomery celebrated with your family. At Fain Park last night and today, The Police and Fireman’s Insurance Association held their Second Annual Charity Softball Tournament to benefit Team Alabama.

“Team Alabama” is made up of transplant recipients and donor families from across Alabama who travel every other year to the U.S. Transplant Games. One of our moms brought the morning paper to share your article. With excitement and understanding, we were all filled with joy for your family.

We are sending a “care package” which includes some of the activities of the day and we look forward to welcoming you back to Montgomery in the near future. Among our famlies and friends today were liver recipients, heart recipients, kidney recipients, and donor families. Our prayers and thoughts are with you. 

Vicki Lloyd

I met Vicki and Carter a few days later when she dropped off the care package. Included in the package were sailboat kits for Ben and his older brother, Blake.

Blake is a master builder and had his boat nailed together in a matter of minutes. He enjoyed showing it off.

Ben and family would like to thank Vickie, Carter, and Team Alabama for their support.

Also — thanks to Vicki — I have added several web links about organ donation on the “About this site” page.

A Poem for Ben

A few days prior to Ben’s heart transplant, a friend of the family sent Lana a wonderful letter and poem. With her permission, I am sharing them with you. First, here is the letter:

March 18, 2007
Dear Ben Grier and Family,

Hi! My name is Laura Harvey, and I grew up with Susan and Kip Massey!

Recently, Susan, Kip, and l have been reunited. Some of my friends and I from Birmingham met Susan and Kip at the Cracker Barrel in Prattville a short while ago, and we were delighted to see each other.

Through emailing, Susan revealed that her cousin’s son was having heart problems and might need a heart transplant. As such, I made a prayer request for him at church, and I have been thinking of him and Susan, as she has had some health issues lately also.

Right now, I live in Vestavia Hills with my parents, and I attend UAB as an undergraduate student who is almost finished with her degree in English, specifically Professional Writing and Public Discourse. However, I think that my passion lies in creative writing, and in reaching out to others.

Susan Blake Massey sent me the link to the web site for Ben Grier. I surfed the
site for a little while, and then decided that the best thing I could do to help Ben would be to pray for him and his family, and I also felt that I could write him a poem.

I do hope that you like the poem which I have written for Ben. I based it on the pictures of Ben, and on what I viewed on the web site.

Please let me know if you need any more copies of the poem, or if there is anything further that I can do for you and your family.

Keeping you in my prayers,
Love always,

Laura Harvey

In order to preserve the formatting and presentation of the poem, I scanned it from the original and saved it as a PDF file.

Please take a moment to read “You Are Special and You Are Sweet!”

If you wish to contact Laura, please let me know.