Originally Posted by Gobble4me757
Dano, I’m glad you posted about TJ

I was his first counselor at camp smile a mile. I proceeded to get really close with his family over the years up into the beginning of medical school. Life happened with me getting married/having a kid and residency and all so have been out of touch for the past 5 or so years. Such a wonderful family and kid. I spoke to his momma last night, and they asked me to be a pallbearer as well. He regained some coherency and told me over the phone “Hey Tiler, I love ya”. Man, I’m not gonna lie I broke down pretty good.

Cancer sucks. TJ is truly a warrior and a hero. He is a follower of Christ as well as his family are so he will finally be free of pain and suffering soon. I have seen plenty of end of life care, but an innocent child like little TJ gets to me.

As I’m typing this, I’m on my way to Children’s to see him for the last time likely alive on this earth. Prayers for him as he goes to be with the good Lord as well as comfort for his family as no parent wants to be in the position to forgo aggressive therapy and watch their child pass from this earth.



Yeah I know. It's just a hard situation. TJ got involved with Kidz Outdoors after the Life Hunt and I was able to see him at most events we held. I spent a lot of time with him fishing at Soggy Bottom or one time they broke him out the hospital for the Kidz Outdoors Banquet to receive some mounts of some hunts he had gone on the previous year. When I got there his mom was anxious cause everyone was coming up to them to say hey and hugs. Well I knew he didn't really need all the people exposure around him so I whispered to his mom, I got this, and proceeded to act like a body guard all night and just kept myself in between folks and him. They figured it out pretty quick. Then he got tired and went to the car and I sat in the back and played video games with him for a while. Great kid and great family.

It isn't necessary to see a good tackle...you can hear it.

Knute Rockne