Thanksgiving Tears...

When my family moved to Virginia back in 2004, we were first befriended by an amazing family, the Petersen's. This family literally lit up my life, and the life of our entire family. They are as good as it gets, in every way. We love them all so much. And now, we support them in their time of great need.

Their only daughter, Emily, has been married for 3 1/2 years to John Jones. They have a daughter, and are currently expecting their second child. They live in Charlottesville Virginia, where John was in his second year of Med School at UVA. For Thanksgiving, they came to Utah to spend time with John's family. However, on Tuesday night, John, along with his brothers went as a group of 11 people into Nutty Putty cave, west of Utah Lake. It was around 9 at night that John got stuck upside down. He hung upside down all Tuesday night and Wednesday while rescue workers tried to get him out. They were almost successful at one point, but the pulley system failed. Early this morning, a little after midnight, no vital signs could be detected, and he was pronounced dead, after hanging upside down for over 27 hours. John was 26.

This loss has been quite a blow. John is such an amazing guy. The type of person that touches peoples lives just by meeting them. Just so happy and so kind. It breaks my heart to think that the world has lost someone like John Edward Jones. I followed this story over the internet and communicating with Emily's brother Dan for hours before John passed away, and I had a lot of thoughts come into my mind. This whole thing is a reminder to me that life is so fragile, and can be so short. It's too short to save things for later. It's too fragile to not love fully. Life isn't fulfilled if you can't serve other people, like John was known for doing, and loving them with everything you have. Our days are numbered, but we determine the quality of our days and of our life in general. It's sad that it takes a heartbreaking tragedy like this to remind me, but I am so grateful that it is never too late to make the most of every day of our lives. It also makes me so grateful to have the knowledge of the gospel. That I know John and Emily and their daughter Elizabeth (Lizzie) and unborn child can all be together someday and for the rest of eternity. What a comfort to know that during times of trials!

So this Thanksgiving, kiss your spouse a little more, hug a friend a little tighter and recommit to love and serve everyone around. Like John. For John.

Please pray for the Jones/Petersen family this holiday season.

http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_13864973
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34157005/ns/us_news-life/
http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=8810404

John Edward Jones
January 21, 1983-November 25, 2009
You will be missed.