This afternoon was just supposed to be a simple get-together, a "Friendsgiving 2018" hosted by Manuel Diotte & Lucinda Suarez, of Ferrari Kids. We all signed up for dishes to bring to the potluck. There were board games to play, music in the background, and plenty of food for everyone. It was so nice.
As the afternoon began to play out though, I realized it was so much more than a simple "get-together" though.
Manny, Lucy, current and past Ferrari kids, their families, and supporters of Ferrari kids, all came together for an afternoon of food, fun and fellowship. We started the meal with prayer, and then Manny asked everyone to go around the room and tell a little bit about themselves. That is when the enormity of the evening became more clear. God's plan was revealed.
Manny quoted Robert Fulghum, from "All I really need to know I learned in kindergarten" when he mentioned one of the most inspirational quotes that affected his life:
"Hold hands, and stick together".
At first, I smiled and thought "oh yeah, that is a good one", but I did not realize how impactful it would be, until the afternoon progressed.
I will try to explain what I witnessed and encountered, and I hope you somehow feel what I felt, because it was beautiful.
Bit by bit, God revealed His presence and His plan in all of this. His hand was in ALL of it.
Here is a little history...
~Manny and I both spoke at a charity event nearly 10 years ago, "Friends of Anglers". That is when we first met. Rowan was a toddler. Manny had more surgeries than Rowan at that time, though we joked about it not being a competition.
~Several years later, multiple people nominated Rowan for the Ferrari Kid Program, but he was almost always hospitalized or immune compromised, so he could never make it.
~Eventually, Rowan was blessed to have Manny come make sure he got a personal ride around a parking lot in a Ferrari, one day when he wasn't quite up to a full event.
~Then, Rowan was eventually able to attend a full Ferrari Kids red carpet event, just a few months before he left for Seattle.
~Rowan then left for Seattle, where he had 2 back to back bone marrow transplants. He spent his final 6 months hospitalized there, and passed away there on December 15th 2016.
~Manny asked Keiba Easterling and myself to be guest speakers at the 2017 Ferrari Kids Gala. We both had sons who had attended the same Ferrari Kids red carpet shopping spree, both passed away in the following year, and are now both buried at the same hill country cemetery just a few yards away from one another.
~I asked Manny to be one of the guest speakers on the panel of the Methodist Children's Hospital "Rowan's Breakfast of Champions" this past Summer, held during the Rowan Windham Memorial Cereal Drive, where over 200,000 servings of cereal were raised for kids in our community through the San Antonio Food Bank.
But see, all of that is just the history that exists between Manny and I, or Manny and Rowan, or Rowan and the Ferrari Kids, or Manny and the Cereal Drive. Today, I realized how much bigger a net has actually been spread.
Manny asked me to start off the introductions. As I did so, instead of passing the baton to my immediate right, my eye was drawn about 10 people down the table...to Jordan. Jordan is one of the happiest, most joyful, most gracious souls I have ever met! She is 17 years old. When she was born, her parents were told she would never make it this far, by a very long shot. They were told to take her home from the hospital, love on her, and to make the most of her time here... However, thanks be to God, Jordan IS still here. Her laugh, her voice, her smile, are all simply infectious! Ironically, I met her at Methodist Children's Hospital just 2 weeks ago when I was hosting a Halloween Arts and Crafts event in memory of Rowan. That day she called me "friend" repeatedly. She kept saying "thank you friend", "that's so nice of you friend", "you're my new friend", etc. Tonight when our eyes met, we both recognized each other instantly. She called across the room, "that's my friend, we did art together!". Jordan and I hung out quite a bit this afternoon. She has another surgical procedure coming up this week, and I promised to send her Thanksgiving crafts to do before and after that. She is currently running for "Queen of the 2019 Fiesta Especial Royal Court", and I would love to help her achieve that. 40% of all the money she raises will go to the charity of her choice. She chose Ferrari Kids;) The other 60% helps offset the cost of the Fiesta Especial Celebration Day which benefits the community-based instruction program for children and adults with disabilities at the Fiesta Carnival. If you are willing and able to make a donation towards Jordan's 2019 Fiesta Especial Royal Court Campaign, please do so. I would be honored to help her achieve her fundraising goals, and you would be contributing to such a great cause. (I will post details at the end of this post.)
Several people down the line, another Mom introduced herself to the group. Her daughter Hiromi and Rowan had hand painted Toms shoes at a MCH event almost 5 years ago. But prior to that even, Hiromi and her family had brought goodie bags (delivered by Minnie Mouse) to MCH while Rowan and one of his best friends Charlotte were hospitalized there during Valentine's Day. Hiromi did that because she battled cancer herself, spent so much time there, and knew what it was like to be in the hospital. Again, full circle...
I also saved several phone numbers in my phone tonight, as I met person after person, that God has brought together through Manny and the Ferrari Kids. We weren't saving each others contact information because we liked their style though, or because we needed to return dishes after the potluck. Instead, I exchanged numbers with people who either I was going to help with their next giving event, or we were planning a way to give back to others together, or we were both in the process of writing books to tell our son's stories, etc. It was all so more good could be made.
We were literally holding hands and sticking together.
Manny, Lucinda, Ferrari Kids, family and friends who attended tonight, and to those that could not make it...
We were brought together for a reason. It was a pleasure seeing everyone today, and I look forward to our future gatherings. But know this... we are all in this together. Lets continue to "Hold hands and stick together". And thank you for that life lesson/reminder today Manny.
~~~~~~~~~~
The only other moment that I want to make sure to document tonight is the moment I knew Rowan was there with us.
I really did enjoy talking to the other parents, and watching the young Ferrari Kids, but I cannot lie, it was overwhelming at times. I saw Rowan all over that room, in so many of those children, etc.
It was difficult to not physically share today with him. He would have loved it! They counted the fish in the tank, played bingo, and connect four, and bean bag toss in the hallway, etc. Rowan would have had a ball!
At one point I was so overcome with happiness at the sights and sounds of that room. I started video taping around the room as Manny and the kids played bingo. All of the sudden the song changed on the iPhone that was projecting music out into the room. It was "Hallelujah"... a song that Kainoa Kamaka played on his ukulele and sang at Rowan's funeral just less than 2 years ago. For a moment, it was too much. I walked outside into the rain, to catch my breath. I knew it was a sign that Rowan was there with us, just as I was missing him there, but it was also an earthly reminder that he wasn't there. I am human. My heart hurt. But at the same time, I trusted God that it was a sign of confirmation...Rowan was indeed there today.
Thank you Manny and Lucy. Thank you Jesus. Thank you to everyone in the Ferrari Kids Family. Thank you to all the Ferrari Kids Friends.
Happy Friendsgiving 2018!
God Bless.
***ps... to donate to Ms. Jordan Allen's "Queen of the 2019 Fiesta Especial Royal Court":
Checks- Box 28243 San Antonio, Texas 78228 ("Jordan Allen Campaign" in memo section)
Online- tinyurl.com/Jordan4Queen2019
Paypal- fiestaespecial@disabilitysa.org
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