A Thousand Thank Yous

From Mike:

Prayer request answered, Steve awoke this morning and his fever subsided.  The transport team arrive as scheduled, transferred Steve to a stretcher, and wheeled him out the door to an ambulance.  A tear rolled down my cheek as the ambulance drove off heading to the awaiting jet at the Asheville airport.

This officially ends Phase 1, which has been accident, trauma, transport, two surgeries, and stabilization.  As this phase has now closed, I wanted to take a moment to say thank you to so many of you who have been heroes during this time.

So thank you (in no particular order) to the first responders from the National Park and EMT team who helped Steve after the crash, and the helicopter transport team who flew him to Memorial Mission in Asheville NC.

Thank you to the Rob and Bill from the motorcycle trip who made sure I got to the hospital as quickly as possible.

Thank you to Dr. Rhoton, neurologist, who performed emergency anterior surgery on Steve’s broken neck.

Thank  you to the ICU team of critical care nurses and trauma docs who helped Steve through breathing issues and pneumonia as he was stabilizing.

Thank you to Dr. Rhoton again for performing his posterior surgery, bone graft, and metal rod insertion so Steve will have structural integrity in his neck.

Thank you to all the nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, respiratory therapists, and acupuncturist who helped Steve during his stabilization period in the trauma unit.

Thank you to Mark Ruetschle (Steve’s brother) who dropped everything to drive Michelle to North Carolina from Ohio in the most extreme of circumstances when Steve’s immediate condition was not clear.

Thank you to Kim Ruetschle (Steve’s sister) who herself a critical care nurse was able to decipher the bells buzzers and beeps in the ICU and ensure the family that the care Steve was receiving was excellent.

Thank you to David Van Leeuwen (Michelle’s brother) himself a doctor with experience in emergency medicine who helped the family digest the technical aspects of Steve’s condition, took care of Michelle, and provided much needed logistical support in developing and implementing an action plan for moving Steve forward.

Thank you to Union Church of Manilla, Pastor Steve’s home church, for their grace, prayer, and support from half a world away.  I’m especially grateful for the grace of the Church Council, pastors Mark and Scott, and all of the coordinating and administration work done by Lucy and Dix.

Thank you to the family, John and Darlene Ruetschle (Steve’s mom and dad), Mark Ruetschle, Kim Ruetschle, and Greg Fessel for being there to provide support to Steve, Michelle, and one another.

Thank you to John and Darlene Ruetschle also for providing loving support for Steve’s children until their transition to Seattle.

Thank you to Laura Ruetschle (Steve’s sister in law) and all the cousins who took Aiden, June and Zephyr to the beach for the week so Michelle could focus on Steve.

Thank you to my beautiful wife Heather Ruetschle, who has so graciously held down the fort at my wild house with three young children, so I can be in Asheville to be with Steve and help.

Thank you to Greg Fessel for his research and recommendations on the best plan for medical transport to Seattle.

Thank you to Sean Dimond (friend of Steve and Michelle’s from Seattle) who, together with the invaluable blog work by Paul and Janece Moment, has given innumerable hours creating and providing the backbone for a vast communications network that has stretched around the globe.  Thanks to Sean also for being the point person on the Seattle transition team that has already done mighty work to receive Steve and his family.

Thanks to Tiffany Megargee (friend of Steve and Michelle’s in Seattle) who works at Harborview, and who helped research information on rehabilitation facilities around the country, as well as help pave the way for admittance to Harborview.

Thanks to Rob Van Leeuwen (Michelle’s dad) who provided a clutch personal connection to the President of Blue Cross Phillipines, who helped provide significant insurance assistance.

Thank you to Lena Van Leeuwen (Michelle’s sister in law) who facilitated legal council on insurance issues and issues pertaining to the forthcoming Steve Ruetschle Special Needs Fund.

Thanks to Richenda Van Leeuwen (Michelle’s step mom) who has provided lots of background information on possibilities to maximize benefits to Steve once in Washington State.

Thank you to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle for agreeing to receive Steve today.

Thank you to Michelle, a women who I have seen undergo unimaginable stress, and who is the strongest woman I know, provide constant love and affection for Steve.  Thank you Michelle for your gift of writing that has kept all of us informed and inspired.

Thank you Steve, for your courage, faith, and unspeakable inspiration to us all.

Thank you to everyone around the world (41,698 page hits at time of this writing from 67 different countries) who have rallied together to pray for and encourage Steve and the entire family.

And lastly that you God, for taking care of Steve during this time, for hearing our prayers, and for helping each of us unite around your beautiful child, Steve Ruetschle.

Pray for Steve who is in flight as we speak.  He is excited to go to Seattle, but also still in a great deal of pain, and understandably nervous about the long road of rehab that lies ahead.

Mike Ruetschle