Preslee
was a bright and energetic 18-month-old. She had blond hair that
usually had a mind of its own, piercing blue eyes, and a love of all
things little girl—especially necklaces. Her turn on earth was short,
but her impact was immeasurable.
On
a warm night in July, little Preslee was with relatives while her
parents, Pat and Ashley, went on a date. A few hours later, her parents
received a phone call telling them that Preslee had fallen into a canal
and that they needed to go straight to the hospital.
After
falling into the canal, Preslee had floated about a mile and a half
downstream, where she bumped into the leg of Jeff Call, a farmer who was
working in the canal. He was about ready to leave but had decided he
needed to put one last board in the ditch where he was irrigating. Jeff
immediately began CPR, while his brother Mike called for medical help.
Many
months before the accident, Preslee’s mother had created a blog on
which she shared happy stories and photos as Preslee grew and
experienced life. After the accident, the blog became a way for the
family to update concerned family and friends on Preslee’s fight for
life in the hospital.
Through
social media, word of Preslee’s accident spread quickly, and within a
few days, the blog had tallied more than 300,000 views. People were
drawn to her story, offering prayers and kind words of support. With
permission, I share Ashley’s update six days after the accident.
“Preslee
has shown us today that perhaps there is a different plan for her than
we [had] originally thought. Throughout the events of today and
yesterday, Preslee’s condition has turned down a different path, and her
little spirit is torn between two worlds. … From one day to the next,
it’s as if her valiant little spirit is just staying … long enough for
us to realize that this is not the end. Little Preslee has been a strong
fighter, but we don’t know if she will be fighting much longer.”
The
next day Preslee returned to her Heavenly Father. Ashley wrote, “We
have … experienced a range of emotions from tragic horror to hope to
complete humility and now to an assurance that God is the true giver and
taker of life.”
Ashley
had no idea that her blog, which has had nearly seven million page
views, would continue to grow. An author of one of the many comments on
her blog stated:
“[Preslee]
has taught families to draw closer, love harder, look at each other a
bit differently, and appreciate what they have. She has taught people
that what they make big deals of in their lives may not be that big
after all. Your family’s faith and perseverance [have] taught people to
step back and reevaluate their own lives, and maybe live a bit
differently, and with more purpose.”
“When the universe itself seems shattered and the shards of our world lie littered about us in pieces,”5 the Savior’s power and assurance can still make it possible for us to experience joy and peace.
I
testify that the Savior will abide with you in your darkest hour. He is
there, and He has declared, “In the world ye shall have tribulation:
but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
No comments:
Post a Comment