We have been fortunate to have received the help of Mayor Street's top staff including Loree Jones and Joyce Wilkerson who called the hospital and doctors on our behalf to ensure Daren received the best care available. His life was saved, but not his body.
Daren is strong in sprits. After we told him the horrible news that he will never be able to move his body again, he picked letters out of the alphabet to ask: Does that mean I will become a genius? (like Steven Hawkings) He was wise enough and courageous enough to signal that he wanted to meet with a hospice nurse to begin to think about his future.
As you can imagine, there are no words that can our express our sorrow and despair. I will be in and out of work as we meet with doctors, social workers and specialists in an attempt to create the best possibilities for Daren going forward. I apologize for the meetings I will miss.
I would ask you to keep a good thought for Daren, if so moved a prayer would be great and if you have any advice or ideas of where there may be some appropriate treatment, please send them to me.
We are very thankful for all words of support and ask your understanding that e-mail is the best way to contact us right now, as we often turn off our cell phones when meeting with the doctors.
Please feel free to share this e-mail with anyone you think ought to know. If people learning of our tragedy are moved to help end this senseless violence and help stop the flow of illegal hand guns, then perhaps it will be more bearable.
With a heavy heart,
Lance
