I saw death and kicked it in the face!

Yesterday was a day of celebration for our family!! We call it “Happy I kicked death in the face day!” and here’s why...

Sometimes there are events in our lives that knock us off our feet and take the breath out of us. Moments that shift and change your life forever.

If you believe in eternal life, any trial or hardship is temporal, yet it can feel like it holds time hostage and last forever.

For our family that happened 14 years ago today. Ariel was in school, and my wife just happened to be volunteering at the school when she heard our daughter Ariel scream. It is a sound no parent wants to hear because you know it is not a normal sound, but a scream of agony.

Leilani runs over to find her in unbearable pain. She called for the nurse, who immediately says to take her to her doctor, who then rushed her downstairs to the ER. After a few quick tests that revealed a large bleed on her brian, Ariel was a flight for life to Children’s hospital. Ariel, my 12-year-old little girl, was now fighting for her life. They hooked her up to life support including a drain from her head and numerous IV’s. More tests revealed the bleed in the brain was from an Arteriovenous malformation (AVM).

Ariel ended up being in ICU for 11 days and in the hospital for a total of 43 days. She had to learn how to eat, swallow, talk, get dressed, and walk all over again. She ended up having her first of five CTA’s to find out where exactly the problem was in her brains’ blood vessels and arteries and to stop the bleeding.

There is not a feeling more helpless as a parent to watching their child fighting for their life, and there is nothing you can physically do about it.

Through an amazing medley of helicopter pilots & crew, nurses, doctors, surgeons, therapists, medical technicians, family, friends, and our Almighty God, she completely recovered!!!! While she was in the hospital, my other children were always cared for, and Ariel was never alone at the hospital. We could not have done it all without our family and friends help and support.

Again, Thank You to all who prayed, believed, and helped us in the everyday practical things of life that don't stop no matter what is going on! Our gratitude is never ending!!

Now Ariel is happily married to the man of her dreams and has a tenacity towards life. One of the best ways to see Ariel do something is to tell her it can't be done. I have included pictures during that time. They can be hard to look at, but I now see them as badges of trials overcome. This day was a defining moment in our lives and is a true testament to our family and the awesome healing power and peace of our savior, Jesus.

To Ariel, Happy "I looked death in the face and kicked it" Anniversary!!! I love you Nemo!