Family and friends,
It has been a rigorous past several days and our heart felt thanks and gratitude go out to all of you who have invested your time, talents, emotional, physical, and most importantly, spiritual energy into assisting Carson and our family. The outpouring of support has been simply overwhelming. Nothing can prepare a parent to watch their child suffer a devastating injury such as this, though we recognize that many have blazed the trail before us, painfully watching children suffer from disease, illness, accident or other with the full spectrum of outcomes that are often gut-wrenching. I recognize in this regard we are not unique. But this isn't about us---it's about Carson. I've always loved the gifted writer Maya Angelou. She said, "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." This quote reminds me of Carson. He makes me feel different as his dad about love, respect, optimism, compassion, and a desire to do good. Carson feels that each encounter with friends, family, instructors, and leaders of all types have influenced and made him who he is, and we concur. Thank you. I think it is the goal of every parent to have their children be better than they are, and can definitively say that this is the case with Carson. I am getting schooled well beyond the graduate level daily by this man pertaining to spiritual matters. He is the instructor at this point and I am the student. We fully recognize that there will be remarkably difficult days on the horizon, but we are confident that the love of family and friends will serve to make this process less painful for us all. To each of you who know Carson, or don't know him, he feels your strength, kindness, and prayers. Again, Maya Angelou: "Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope." He has felt your love for him since the accident and derives enormous strength from the numerous posts and letters that are read to him daily. May God bless you all for your efforts.
When any tragedy strikes, it is difficult to know how to properly cope, including the logistics of keeping people informed and wanting desperately as parents to answer every phone call, text, or email. We are feeling your sadness and concern for our son and it has been heartbreaking to us to be unable to respond. Fielding the numerous inquiries from loved ones and others has been like drinking from a fire hose and nearly impossible. But we know you are there---Carson knows you are there, and that is all that matters! We have struggled to balance the personal needs of Carson (who, if he had it his way, would have perpetual visitors....ha..ha.), his need to rest, the guidance of physicians and nursing staff, the constraints of the visiting environment, our needs as parents, and a host of other challenges. I have been grateful to those who have initiated and maintained this blog to keep everyone up to date, and want all of you to know that if we could, we would have everyone come and visit! Please don't feel rebuffed or otherwise. We have to have Carson's best interest in mind, even when he may feel differently. He will need your strength in the weeks and months ahead. We love you.
To the professional staff at the University of Utah Medical Center; you have been angels in a time of darkness---from the steady hands of the surgeons to nursing and support staff/team who have buoyed up our son beyond measure. You will be blessed for your efforts.....
Stephen and Camille Tueller
