Sad news to report today. My cousin's ten year old son lost his battle with cancer. He died this morning at 11:15 am. It was the strangest thing because I thought about him at that time this morning. I knew he was sick but I was at work, there was no reason for me to think about him at this time, but for a moment he crossed my mind. I do believe that there is some greater power at work in the universe. I think at that moment I felt the family love.

I met him this summer at our family reunion. Such a sweet kid. He was undergoing treatment this summer and only came to the reunion for the the final night. He looked weak and tired. On the final night of the reunion he danced on the dance floor for what must have been two hours. It looked like he was having the time of his life. I wish I had known him better.

Austin was a good kid. During his treatment he was asked to come up with a super hero and "Bacon Boy" was born. He has been on the TV news, in the newspaper and is the subject of a museum's permanent exhibit. He tapped creativity from the depths of his illness.

These links tell his story:

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/121384411635070.xml&coll=7

http://www.kgw.com/news-local/stories/kgw_072508_news_bacon_boy.d94439.html

http://www.sparrowclubs.org/SparrowSearch/Sparrow/default.aspx?id=1455

http://www.ohsu.edu/xd/about/news_events/news/doernbecherglass061708.cfm

Austin lived a short but eventful life. He is missed.

Last week his mom was diagnosed. She starts Chemo next Monday. Prayer is a wonderful thing. Your prayers mean a lot.

www.Chap.name (Children's Healing Art Project - has "Bacon Boy" t-shirts.)
http://www.marrow.org/index.html

D.