An Opportunity To Share About Matthew

Since Matthew died, both Norm and I have shared about Matthew quite openly. We are especially careful with children, but want parents aware, and especially moreso in the last several months as we have learned more and more about how prevalent this "choking game" actually is. Yesterday was another "God moment" as He certainly put it all into place.

When we participated in the Life Walk several weeks ago, I was given a "free haircut coupon". Numerous local business gave to the group to sponsor the walkers. We have a wedding to go to this weekend, and so last night I thought I'd use it and dropped the kids at VBS and skipped out on it. It was a gal probably close to 30 that cut my hair. There was another girl standing almost behind her that was the greeter that was probably 16 or 17 years old. Usually I find that cosmetologists ask a lot of questions, but this one did not and I can't just blurt out "my son died". She was quiet and was "just doing her job." I prayed for an opportunity to share, if it was meant to be. I did not think it would happen.

There was a secular station on in the place and it had call-in requests for songs. A young woman called in who had had an accident - fell down a cliff, and broke her back and went through many months of recovery, and said how thankful she was that God not only saved her life, but that she can walk and still enjoy God's nature. She then requested the song by MercyMe, "I Can Only Imagine" which I have shared about before was Matthew's favorite song, and portions of it we have put on his gravestone. I have never heard the song on the air in a public place, and just quietly said, "this song was my son's favorite song - he died 7 months ago." She asked me if he died in a car accident, and I then shared carefully how he died. She was in shock, but the greeter girl behind her said she has heard of this, and knows of kids who have done this. My hair cutter could not really comprehend the "why" kids would do this, but she then told me too she has an older son.

It was such a "God moment" how it all came together. There is no way I could have planned this - from way back to our kids pushing to do the Life Walk again this year, to me winning the haircut coupon, and then the timing of me going, and THAT SONG coming on right there. It was like God nudged me to say something. But now at least two more are informed how these breathing games kill - the young greeter girl who has friends who have done this, and the cosmetologist who has an older son. God really showed Himself tonight. When I told Norm about it, we both agreed it was so planned of Him. It gave us chills.

A woman I got to know through e-mails who lost a 19 year old son the same way we did, was on her local news in Pennsylvania today. Here is a direct link to the TV station's website, and about her son. It's gives more details that I generally write here, but for parents, again it can show you the realism of this, including other names for it. I think one of the most important sentences in it is: "They [the boy's parents] want parents and children to know that a 6-second high can cost a life.