Brayton the Brave and Strong

Many of you know, and some don't, of our friend, Brayton. Brayton came into our lives before Lauren and Brayton were even born, through a group for pregnant women on iVillage (this is where the Firecracker Friends were born). Brayton was born, a few weeks before Lauren, with Tracheoesophageal Fistula and Esophogeal Atresia.  It is a defect where his esophagus is not properly connected and his trachea and esophagus are abnormally connected.   He spent the first ten months of his life in a hospital while Lauren was home with us being our baby.

We celebrated when Brayton got to come home after such a long time in the hospital.  We wept tears of joy at the photos that another Firecracker mommy took of Brayton's first day of freedom and his trip to the beach.  Those were the best tears.

Over the next two years, all the Firecrackers rallied as Brayton would be in and out of the hospital for surgeries and sicknesses.  Our little ones have become very proficient at remembering B in their prayers (or whatever form of wishing their mommies have them make) and we have always gotten to cry those happy tears when Brayton got to go home.

The tears this time are different.  Brayton went into the hospital again in mid-July - the month of the Firecrackers.  Our praying knees got their exercise, and then some, over the past few weeks.  Brayton was brave and strong through a couple of surgeries, one lasting the better part of the day.  But, last night, August 28, 2011, Brayton made his final trip home.  This time it wasn't to his home with his mom and his sisters.  This time he went home to be with God and Jesus.  That's how I had to explain my tears to my three year old.  The tears this time are different.

Brayton will never get to go to school, to prom, drive a car, learn multiplication, fall in love, write a love letter or graduate from college.  He won't be there when his sisters walk down the aisle and get married. He won't get to call his mom and say that he has found that special someone.  He won't get to do these things himself.  He will get to do these things - all of them - because he will live on in the hearts of all the Firecrackers forever.  They will carry a little piece of him with them forever.

There is little to say to comfort.  Maybe these words will help someone...

"So you have pain now; but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you."  John 16:22

"Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal." - From a headstone in Ireland.

"No cry, mommy.  Baby an angel."  Lauren, Age 3