Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada and it’s “Heart for the Disabled” week!
Here at Joni and Friends we are asking you this week to help make this upcoming Valentine’s Day pretty extraordinary for a special needs family by writing a note of encouragement. And today I want to tell you about Aaron—oh, my heart breaks for him—a young man in his 30s with a bright and hopeful future. Those hopes were shattered when one Saturday, Aaron went snowboarding with his friend, Lisa. It was one of those glorious days last March when the sky was clear, the sun was warm, and the snow was perfect. Snowboarding is a big thing up in Big Bear, California, but no one could have predicted that this talented and seasoned snowboarder would, that day, experience a life-altering injury. He was snowboarding down the hill handling the moguls and the turns, when all of a sudden, Aaron somehow ended up on another run, misjudged the turn, and slammed head-on into a tree. He broke his neck at the third and fourth cervical levels. Aaron was airlifted to a nearby hospital, after which, he was sent to a rehab center in southern California.
Now, Aaron is just what you would picture in a snowboarder: active, athletic, young, on the go but this paralyzing injury—oh, my goodness—has thrown him for a loop. I can at least move my shoulders and my arms a little bit, but Aaron is completely paralyzed; he’s ventilator-dependent. This accident has also devastated his parents. Alan and Tina had to quickly make their home accessible for their son who was about to be released from rehab. It was all so overwhelming that the rehab center postponed Aaron’s release. Although now it feels good to be home, it’s a huge adjustment for Aaron and his parents — there are expenses that insurance just won’t cover and they don’t know what the future holds. Their church, however, has been a wonderful support to the family for which Aaron and Alan and Tina are very grateful.
Bless their hearts, I know that this little family would drink in any encouragement, so would you please join me in writing a note to Alan and Tina, and to Aaron who broke his neck? Perhaps you could share a favorite Scripture about the way God has our future in His hands? Or maybe you could send a special poem, or the words to a much-loved hymn. And if you happen to be the parent of a young man who’s suffered a life-altering injury, think about offering personal words of encouragement from your own experience. Remind them that they will get through, that God is near. The most important thing is offering simple Christ-centered encouragement expressed any way you wish; I know they will appreciate your card or note so much.
Just send your note, letter, or Valentine card to Aaron (he’s the snowboarder who broke his neck), and to his parents, Alan and Tina. Mail it to Joni and Friends at P.O. Box 3333, Agoura Hills, California 91376. And let me hear from you right away so that your note will arrive in time for us to bundle it up with all the other letters to mail to this family. We need your card soon so we can make sure it arrives right in time for Valentine’s Day. And if you didn’t get the address or if you need to be reminded you can always get the scoop on my radio page at joniandfriends.org. Oh, we posted a most amazing video—actually it’s a heart-breaking video—that Aaron’s parents made. When you see it, it’ll give you a much clearer picture of the challenges this young man is facing. And, finally, thank you for having a heart for the disabled, especially a heart for Aaron who broke his neck and his mom and dad, Tina and Alan.
© Joni and Friends, 2014
Compliments of Joni and Friends
PO Box 3333 Agoura Hills, CA 91376