This is the most difficult update I have ever had to write.  In the past, I have asked you to put yourselves in the place of law enforcement as well as emergency and public service personnel.  I have asked you to close your eyes and experience the fears they face as they work our nation’s highways.  I have even asked you to think about what your husband or wife, son or daughter would experience as they had to receive that knock on the door.  Maybe I asked you to consider all of this because I have had to watch my husband bury two friends.  Maybe I asked you to put yourselves at a graveside as you watched someone you care about being lowered into the ground.  Maybe I asked you all of this because I never thought we would go through it again.

I knew someone, somewhere would have to bury someone they loved, their life lost as they did their duty to protect and serve.  Here though?  Here in this beautiful small mountain community that had already lost two troopers in such a short period of time.  It should not have happened again.  We never thought it would happen again.  Yet, here we are. 

The song of the bagpipes, the mournful sound of the bugle, the whinnies of the riderless horse and the twenty-one gun salute were enough to bring me to my knees once again.   I tried to stay strong.  I knew what to expect.  I tried so hard to keep my hands around the shoulders of the other spouses from our district, the ones who never had witnessed this sad march before.  I tried so hard to prepare them for what was to come, yet my own tears came and I found these other women holding on to me as as hard as I was holding onto them.

I would ask you to keep the families of our North Carolina Highway Patrol Troop G District 5 in your prayers, but I won’t.  We still have our husband’s by our sides.  We are so grateful for that, but feel guilty for that gratefulness as well.  What we need you to do is pray for the family that is living our worst nightmare.  Whatever it takes, and whereever you can find the strength, pray for Shawn’s family.

Today, Michaela will sit by her son’s side as he fights for each breath.  Tye, who was born seven weeks premature, has the strength of the caisson horses that carried his father’s body.  This three-pound beautiful baby boy is fighting hard.  Maybe because his daddy had the chance to hold him in his arms.  Maybe because his daddy’s friend led the caisson and willed the strength of the horses to find their way to Tye.  Maybe because his daddy’s friends marched as brothers, and his daddy’s best friends helped to keep his mommy strong.  Maybe because of the strength of the Cherokee blood that runs through him.  Maybe because we have all prayed day and night.  But mostly because his mommy is right by his side and needs him as much as he needs her.  

Our families have been humbled by the outpouring of generosity for Michaela and Baby Tye.  Never have we witnessed such an outpouring of support.  Whether people just want to know how Tye is doing [great, by the way and trying to gain two more pounds so he can be strong enough for heart surgery] or because they want to know how to help, the e-mails I have received are countless. 

This month, maybe even this summer or longer, it is not going to be about FORS.  It is going to be about helping Michaela and Tye.  I apologize for doing this, but I need to.  I am sure you will understand, and if you don’t, well…life isn’t fair.

Here are some things you can do to help Michaela and Tye:  GO TO OUR DONATION INFO PAGE FOR A LISTING OF ALL FUNDRAISING EVENTS FOR THE BLANTON FAMILY.

On July 12th, there wil be a motorcycle ride from Black Mountain to Maggie Valley.  Click here for more information.

On July 28th, eat at Fat Buddies of Asheville or Waynesville.  Ten percent of all proceeds will go to Michaela and Tye.

On August 2nd, the Blue Ridge Mustang Club of Asheville will be doing a HUGE Law Enforcement Appreciation Day and Fundraiser. Click here for details or call 1-828-667-8213.

Shawn’s best friends are organizing a softball tournament and a golf tournament which I will share with you as soon as I receive the information.

To make a monetary donation, you can either go to our donation info page and we will forward any donations to Michaela and Tye, or you can send a donation directly to the State Employees Credit Union.  An account has been set up for them.  Make checks payable to “Michaela Blanton FBO Brendan Tye Blanton” and mail it to: SECU PO BOX 97  Waynesville, NC  28786 or go to your local SECU branch. For SECU questions, call 1-828-452-3570.

If nothing else, keep praying.

It was a crisp, cool December day.  You had a lot of housework to do, but that also required a trip to the hardware store.  Rather than dragging your family along, you kissed them good-bye, told them you would be home in an hour and you headed for the interstate.  Five minutes later you were traveling at 75mph in light traffic.  What’s the bid deal if you were 15 mph over the speed limit, so was everyone else.  With another five miles to go you start flipping channels on the radio trying to listen to a game.  With your eyes looking at the radio display you never realized that you had drifted from the lane of travel.   

Suddenly, you heard a noise that startled you and grabbed your eyes back to the road.  You immediately corrected your vehicle, but your heart was beating out of your chest.  The rumble strips just saved your life and that of a tow truck operator that had stopped to assist a stranded motorist. The sound from the vibration of your tires traveling over the rumble strips had probably saved your life and could have been the last sound the tow truck operator ever heard.  The fear you saw in that man’s eyes will stay with you along time.   

An instant is all it takes.  We all do it and we cannot deny it.  Whether we are attending to our children’s cries, reaching for a tissue in the glove box, tuning the radio or dialing our cell phones…we all do it.  What we all do not do is spend the majority of our working hours on the side of the road.  However, thousands of men and women do each and everyday.  Their greatest fear is us.  The motoring public who asked them to be there…to serve and protect us.  Whether by rumble strips, Move Over Laws or by our common courtesy we have to protect them.  They deserve to make it home to their families. 

You might remember last month I told you about AAA Motorsports & Roush Fenway racing’s efforts to help promote the Move Over Law.  On November 16^th, a press conference and kick-off was held at the Homestead Motor Speedway.  Footage from the press conference as well as a Move Over PSA (public service announcement) can be viewed at http://www.aaanewsroom.net/Main/Default.asp?CategoryID=4&ArticleID=583.  You will need to register download it, but it is quick and painless!  You can also view the Slow Down/Move Over AAA PSA at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rF8VcC124E         

ATTENTION MEDIA & OTHER ORGANIZATIONS! The PSA can be formatted with your organization’s logo and used for reproduction.  I have attached the information form.  As mentioned last month, our 2008 peel-off mini calendars are available.  Go to the Move Over Store on the FORS website, www.f-o-r-s.com, and download an order form.  If you prefer to pay via PayPal, please contact me and I will let you know what to do.  As a reminder, I will be not be sending anything out between December 11^th and December 31^st.   There is still time to make a donation for the 2007 tax year.  Go to http://www.f-o-r-s.com/home/donate to make a donation either via PayPal or by check.  Thank you in advance for your generosity.  Don’t forget that you can also do your holiday shopping at www.ibakesale.com and sign-up to ensure that FORS receives a percentage from your purchases! 

A trooper’s family in our district is facing a difficult time right now.  Their daughter, Karla, was diagnosed with cancer several months ago and she faces a long year of chemotherapy and radiation.  There is a wonderful website, www.caringbridge.org, that allows you to visit “Karla’s” page, make donations, send her a message, etc.  Just type in karlaallred.  I am sure the family would be grateful for your thoughts and prayers during this holiday season! 

We wish you all a happy and safe holiday season.  Please remember to Move Over & Slow Down for Stopped Emergency and Public Service Vehicles.  Our lives depend on it.