National Guard showing their support for their brother Rowan...in both Texas and Washington!

This post is from a few days ago, but I'm just now finally getting to post it.  As many of you know, Rowan was honorarily inducted into the Texas National Guard two years ago.  It was one of the greatest days of his life.  Those fellow guardsmen have continued to check in on Rowan to this day.  Two weeks ago, Command Sergeant Major, Mark Weedon, called me personally from Texas, to see how Rowan was doing and to tell me to let him know that he had over 20,000 fellow guardsmen in Texas standing with him as he fights this battle.  It was so touching.  We are honored to have them in our corner. 

As if that wasn't enough, he then called the Washington National Guard to ask them to support Rowan and our family as well, while we are so far from home.  Within fifteen minutes, Chief Master Sergeant, Trish Almond, phoned me to offer their support. Two Washington National Guards came up to the hospital two days later and met Rowan, when he was still on the 8th floor.  They also let us know that there would be a group of them coming the following week. Here are the pictures from their visit.  It was tough because at this point Rowan had deteriorated and was in a coma, non-responsive, on a ventilator.  But what they did for him, though he wasn't aware at the time, was remarkable.  These men and women drove over an hour to get here, brought him amazing tokens of their support, that he will cherish forever, and spent their valuable time getting to know us.  Brian and I were so very honored and deeply touched. 

The pictures speak volumes, so I will let them do so...

 

One of the many highlight of the visit, was Rowan being given this pin...

taken straight from this man's Stetson...

There were tears in our eyes for sure.  Such a selfless act.

Brian thanked them each for their service, and told them that Rowan would do the same if he was awake.  Rowan always stops when he sees service men and women in uniform, and goes over to shake their hand, saying "thank you for your service".  Everyone should.  They deserve it.

We can't wait for Rowan to rise up again fully healed, so we can share the events of this special day, and to show him all the very cool, special commemorative pieces they honored him with.

What a rare and special honor to be included in and supported by both the Texas Army National Guard and the Washington Army National Guard.  Rowan is one blessed kid.

A true honor indeed.

The blessings just kept coming though.  I was notified that his National Guard buddies back home had organized a bone marrow registry drive in Rowan's honor.  They swabbed to help him try to reach his lifetime goal of finding a million bone marrow matches for others in need of transplants.  We were again blown away that they did this for him.  Here are a few pictures that they sent me...

Even the Adjutant General at Camp Mabry got swabbed!

Wow!

Thank you for going above and beyond to help bone marrow matches be made, by signing so many up to the national registry, in Rowan's honor.  Our minds are officially blown away by your support!  It is a beautiful, beautiful thing.  We want to personally thank each service member who got swabbed, and each individual involved in the planning, organizing and processing of the bone marrow drive.  We are deeply touched and very proud of you all!

Thank you all for your service, your support, your time and your prayers for our boy.