He shouldn’t have lived. He was born with a fatal heart defect. The doctors gave him only days to live without medical intervention. The family was in a state of disbelief and shock, but were determined to do whatever was possible to provide their newborn son the chance at life.

At the time of his birth, the family was living in Germany. The surgery required was very risky and complicated. Many European hospitals at the time had stopped performing the difficult surgery because the mortality rate from the surgery itself was so high. The only surgeon with a good success rate was the physician who pioneered the technique. But there was a problem. That pioneering surgeon practiced in the United States. Again, determined to seek a chance at life for their son, the family was able to whisk their infant son from Germany to the United States aboard an aircraft specially designed with a neonatal ICU, along with a pediatric nurse. The family had to travel by other means (can you imagine their worry?) But they were determined to seek that chance at life for their days-old son.

At the age of fourteen months he suffered a serious setback, and required a heart transplant. Again, the family was unswerving in providing for their son every opportunity for that chance at life. In answer to prayer, a donor heart became available, and the transplant took place. The once near-lifeless toddler was alive with new energy and color. He was alive with a strength that he had never known previously. His family was determined to seek that chance at life for their son.

The boy grew and became stronger, though was never quite able to stay up with the other boys. He tried though. He never quit. He never saw his limitations as such; he just knew that he was to try harder. He seldom complained. He was compassionate and caring, a very sensitive soul. He had a strong will. He had a determination that was an example to his friends and family alike. He never wanted pity or a break; he wanted only a chance to compete. His family honored that spirit in him, and was determined to seek that chance at life for their son.

The family continued to live in Germany during his younger years. They traveled throughout Europe. Their son became a wonderful student, fluent in English and German. His young life was rich with experiences only dreamed of by most people. In the mid 1990s he and his family moved to the United States, settling here in Calvert County. He soon became known for his friendly smile and spirit of determination. He loved all of life: his family, his friends, his skateboarding, his PlayStation. He lived and loved life with a quality that was remarkable.

His life on this earth ended recently after thirteen short years. Through those thirteen years though, this young man seized the chance at life that God gifted to him through the love and support of his family and friends. They were determined through their love and commitment to seek that chance at life for their son. They did. They did it well.

This young man and the love of his family are an example for us all. In the end, the witness of his life challenges us to not measure the fullness of our lives by the number of years we live, but by the quality of life in those numbers.

Pastor Randy