Thoughts & Prayers Please

I'd like all of you to keep the family of Brendan Wiles in your prayers today. He is the 13 year old skateboarder that died in a skateboarding/vehicle accident in St. Louis last weekend. His funeral is today. My nephew was really good friends with the boy and he and my 8 y/o niece are really taking it hard. It's tough for the little ones to lose one of their own, I guess because they feel they are indestructible.

This is a very sad time for this group of friends and family so please keep your thoughts and prayers with them in the coming days.

Attached here is an email from the principal of the school they all attended - in case you missed this story this past weekend.


Date: Jan 13, 2008 10:33 AM
Subject: Tragic News in our Community and Hancock District.
Body: Hello everyone,

On Friday evening one of our 7th grade students, Brendan Wiles, was struck by a car at Lemay Ferry and Green Park . It was fatal, but was revived by paramedics. He was taken to Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital where family and friends were together praying and pulling for him to survive through a miracle; however, we were told in the afternoon that there was only a very slim chance of survival if any. His friends visited the Chapel in the hospital each time another friend showed up to support Brendan. A picture of Brendan is attached above; this picture is on myspace.com.

At around 2-3PM we were told to say our goodbyes to Brendan 2 at a time as we were told there was little if any hope that he would survive. It was unbelievable how many of his friends and family were present praying for this miracle. During this time we made plans to invite all of the students up to the Dome from 6-8PM so that they could spend time together as they awaited news from Brendan’s final test for brain activity which was supposed to be between this time period. The time elapsed, but still we had no results as were notified that his blood pressure was not stable enough to run the test. We then talked to all of his friends at the gym about the updated news from his family that he was still in an unstable condition and could not have the test run. We talked to his friends about this tragedy, what they can do to help, what they can do to get through this as best as they can, and also what we would be doing at school on Monday whether we received miraculous or tragic news. We asked everyone to go home at this time because it was getting late, but gave them a way on Myspace.com to be updated when the test results were given. At around 12-12:30AM, we received the tragic news that Brendan J. Wiles began his journey to Heaven.

Brendan J. Wiles was an outstanding student and person. His friends took up an entire bleacher section. His friends were so well behaved and showed great patience during this horrible time. No kid at this age should have to go through such a horrible event like this, but his friends are showing great unity and strength together. With the family’s permission along with the Park’s permission, we will move to plant a tree near the new skate park in Jefferson Barracks Sylvan Springs with a memorial plaque shaped like a skate board to remember this kind, loved, and missed young boy.

Many rumors have and will continue to surface throughout this time which tends to happen when so many are involved. It is important that everyone knows the truth which is stated above and not all of the false rumors and news from other sources. There are also conflicting reports to what really happened on Friday night in regards to the car striking Brendan, so please do not speculate or solely go by what the news stations report as we all know they can be premature with their findings and in many times be a one-sided version. It is important that Brendan rests in peace. This is not easy for his friends or family so please be understanding and give them some time if they need to visit with counselors or administrators upon their return this week. No plans have been set as of yet for his funeral visitation and burial, but an email will go out as soon as we know the arrangements.

On Monday, Sherry Rischbieter and Amanda VanHorn have counselors available for any students and staff who need support. Officers, Steve Rowland and Mike Maxwell, will be keeping an eye out for all media. Please talk to no media and direct them to the superintendent’s direction. Do not let any media or outsiders talk to any of our students under any circumstances; notify the office of any phone calls or visitors on our school grounds.

Thank you to CC’s Pizza, Crusoes, Papa John’s, Pizza Hut, Imo’s, and White Castle along with the help from Mary Joe Ruder, Erin D ittrich and Mary Hoffman for the donations of food for our kids at the Dome last night! Thank you to those of you who were able to visit and give your support to Brendan’s friends and family at the hospital and/or Dome. Thank you to Connie Asher, Judy Moore and some parents who are making T-Shirts today with a picture of Brendan on them for his friends and family; thank you to Wal-Mart for their assistance! Kim and Jimmy Freed, who own The Wedge, and the owner of Dry Dock are collecting money for his parents to help with financial costs. The support from his friends’ parents yesterday was truly amazing as well in how loving they are for all of the kids while they cried and asked so many difficult questions; they stood strong for their kids and their friends at the hospital and the gym!

Brendan has an older brother, Allen, in the high school who will need your support and prayers. He is a great young man with a severely broken heart. Please pray for Brendan’s family and friends that they pull together and deal with this as well as possible. Prayer:

Dear Lord, please give Brendan J. Wiles’ family, friends, and especially his parents (Chris and Shellie) and his brother (Allen) the strength to pull together in this most difficult time. Brendan was truly an outstanding young boy and student who is loved by a countless number of friends and family. We pray that you guide his family and friends in their decision making and the healing process through this tragic time. We know that Brendan is in your kingdom and this is difficult for our young people to understand sometimes, so please assist them in having a strong faith in believing that Brendan is in a better place now and his pains and suffering are gone. Thank you Lord, Amen!

Thank you,

Tom D

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