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| With a heart painted on her cheek and a beautiful bow set in her hair, Ella looks to her new found friend Conlin. |
Conlin is a 10 year old boy. Audrie is an 11-year old. Chris is 9 years old.
Conlin is a student of mine this year, Audrie was one from last year, and Chris is still in 3rd grade.
They are remarkable people.
Audrie & Chris, out of the goodness of their hearts, chose to help Ella by having the money that would have been spent on their birthday gifts instead be donated to Ella. They, along with their friends, presented us with generous donations that helped purchase supplies that Ella needs for her everyday living.
Lindsay and I were overwhelmed with their generosity...hoping that someday our own children will be as thoughtful and caring.
For his 10th birthday, Conlin's wish was to help someone. Like Audrie and Chris, he didn't want presents for himself; these kids weren't thinking about receiving. Their hearts were somewhere else...in a place that few 3-5th graders visit on such a level...a place of true empathy and compassion.
Conlin's family started planning his birthday party some 6 months ago. It was to be a "Carnival for a Cause". They wanted to invite the entire 4th grade class (about 100 kids) to the party. Instead of presents, Conlin wanted whatever money that would have been spent on a gift for him to go toward a good cause.
The last piece of their plan was to find a cause to make their donation.
When this young boy learned of Ella's disease he told his parents that he wanted to celebrate his birthday by helping Ella. He too, like Audrie and Chris, looked outside of himself.
The church basement in which the "Carnival for a Cause" was held had been transformed into a kid's delightful paradise of games, prizes, food and fun. Laughter, music, face-painting, sports games, and more filled the afternoon as Conlin's friends helped him celebrate his 10th year of life. In that celebration Ella (along with her entire family) was invited...we were welcomed with open arms and loving care.
Our family found itself, on this day, surrounded by children and adults alike that have reached out their arms, in a loving embrace, as we do our best as a family to cope with the diagnosis of SMA.
A portion of the funds raised through the compassion of 10-year old Conlin will help pay for the new floor we had to install so that Ella can use her wheelchair in our house. With this new floor Ella can move about the first floor freely, explore her environment, and feel more connected to her family as we naturally move about the house. This gift is immeasurable.
The remainder of the funds will be donated to FSMA (Families of Spinal Muscular Atrophy) to help support their efforts to find treatments and a cure for SMA. Our hope for Ella, as well as the many children & families affected by SMA, lies with the research already underway.
As I was leaving today I told Conlin that I cannot wait to tell Ella, when she is older, about the student I had who shared his birthday with her on Nov. 12, 2011.
Birthdays are a celebration of life. They celebrate the arrival of each us of into this world. They signify the moment in which we found ourselves among those who love us the most. With the gift of life birthdays call for gifts. Most of the time, the gifts are bestowed upon the one whose birthday is being celebrated. Conlin, Audrie and Chris however, turned that around...they gave a gift. A gift that will make an impact on all of those involved in the celebration. A testament to what might have been meant when the words, "...love one another as I have loved you." (John 13:34) were uttered some 2,000 years ago.
When I was taking the picture above, we couldn't get Ella to look at the camera. She kept looking at Conlin as if she knew that he was sharing his day with her out of the purity of his heart. The day will come when we can tell Ella the story of how a girl and two boys, whose path in life crossed her father's path, stopped on that path to extend their hands out, reaching for Ella, and embracing her in their kindness.
Thank you Audrie, Chris & Conlin...You Rock!
The Casten Family
