Thursday, April 28, 2011

Update

They've found Jennifer. She had a severe head injury, and the coroner said she would have died quickly, maybe instantly.  Her brother identified the body.

Garrett has been in surgery most of the day, with repairs to his arm.  They found a place under his arm where he had been impaled , and were pulling out pieces of wood 2-3 inches long.  They took the time to clean out that wound and several others.  Tomorrow he'll go back to surgery to repair his broken jaws, right and left, and to clean out a head wound. He's being kept on the ventilator for now, until the major surgeries are completed, so he won't be told about her for a while.

The family is going to proceed with Jennifer's funeral, since they can't be expected to postpone it for 2-3 weeks. We don't know any details yet. Everyone is devastated. Jennifer and Garrett adored each other, and her family told my brother they'd never seen her happier in her life than she's been since they met. My brother and sister-in-love feel they've lost a daughter, not an inlaw.

Please continue to keep them all in your prayers, particularly my sister-in-love.  She's a rock, but is taking this really hard.

Frank says it looks as if 2/3 of Alabama has been wiped off the map.  My nephew says there is nothing above ground level left standing in their neighborhood: not a tree, not a bush--just foundations for homes that are no longer there. It's amazing that either one of them made it out of there at all. 

Thanks again for all your support, and please remember all the victims and families of this catastrophic event.

10 comments:

Angie said...

Oh dear God, I am so so sorry ... praying for strength and courage for all of you.

Cathi said...

Oh, Stephanie, I am so very sorry! You and your family are in my thoughts.

audreypawdrey said...

I was thinking of you and yours all day, and I am so incredibly sad that this occurred to them. I will definitely be praying for you all.

Anonymous said...

Stephanie, I will pray for you and your family tonight.
I'll pray for Garrett's healing, for his parents and for Jennifer's parents.
I'll pray for courage during this seemingly impossible time, and for grace in the coming months.
Much love to you.
Jen

*karendianne. said...

Dearest Stephanie, I am so, so sorry this horrible event has reached out and ripped at your lives. You and your family are in my thoughts and prayers. I can't seem to let go of what you must be feeling. With much warmth, *karendianne.

Shakerwood said...

You know it's one thing to hear all this on the news, thinking it is pretty far away. But then when you hear about one individual story at a time, it becomes so much more ....intense. My thoughts and prayers are with you, your brother and the whole family. I can't even imagine ..........

AnnieO said...

Too tragic and awful for words. Sending virtual hugs and healing thoughts to you and yours.

Karen said...

Oh Stephanie, that is so heartbreaking. I will be praying for your family.

Libby said...

I just can't even begin to say how sorry I am to learn this news. I will be keeping you and your family in my thoughts in the coming days. Sending lots and lots of hugs

Pokey said...

Thinking of all of you at this time, Stephanie.