Doctor says all good..

Kevin saw the doctor today and got good news. The MRI did not show any damage to his back. He allowed him to start back physical therapy with a focus on his back and legs. This is great news and we expect to see him back on the basketball court as soon as possible.

Thank you for your prayers!

Prayer request..

The posts have been positive lately and for that we are thankful.

However, please take a moment and pray for Kevin. He is still experiencing some serious pain in his back and the doctors are concerned that the issues may be a disc problem. He has pain shooting down his legs. He goes back to the doctor on Monday.

On a better note - checkout the blogs of the other guys to the right - good news! Jason Kaspar is planning to go back to Union soon and will be moving in with Kevin and Scott soon!

We visited Kevin today and his new apartment is "sweet!"

Close to normal...

New apartment, first class back, studying (maybe), fourth meal, friends, girls, Jason out and planning to move in with him, new car, FEMA interview, radio interview, friends, teachers, church, late nights, Memphis/Tennesse game party planned.... happy.... closer to normal.

THANKFUL!

Good News

I have heard it said that no news is often good news. That is the case with me not posting here since Sunday. I have good news.

We finished moving Kevin into an apartment on Monday. He will be living with Scott and hopefully Jason when he comes back to Union. The guys have a great apartment - my wife commented that it is nicer than the one that we moved into when we got married about 100 years ago. He seems happy!

We are at the point of dealing with the emotional ups and downs of what the psychologist call post dramatic syndrome. I don't think any of us have ever dealt with this before - so there are some good days and some bad days - but then again they are ALL good days because he is alive and talking with us. As I have said many times before, we are blessed.

Jason got out of the hospital yesterday so that is GREAT NEWS - more details can be found on his blog link to the right. Matt had some surgery yesterday which was good and the first steps back to recovery. I understand David is also progressing well. We seem to have lost track of Cheryl but she is also out of the hospital.

So now we move into the phase of finding out what life will bring after such a tramatic event. When Kevin spoke at a Bible study last week we recording his story. I hope to get a copy this weekend and will begin to post the story in detail. It is amazing.

Thanks again for the prayers.... more details and info to follow...

14 days ago

14 days ago there was no way to comprehend what the past 12 days would be like. But tonight we took Kevin back to Jackson. He will be living in an apartment with several friends for the rest of the semester. It was a feeling of happiness and, yes some parental fear. It was hard to leave him but we are so happy that he is on the road to recovery. And his Union friends were already at his new apartment making sure that he is OK.

Please continue to pray for him - and all of the guys as they recover. But also pray for ALL students at Union. They are in the process of moving back to Jackson - some in apartments, some on campus in dorms that are still standing, some in homes and some in the Jett Hotel (donated by Englewood Church). Each of them have a story and each have special needs of healing.

Classes start back on Wednesday. It has been an amazing 12 days... and we are blessed beyond words.

The day before Sunday

Today was a good day. Kevin went to D-Now at Bellevue and got to hear David Platt speak three times - now that is a good day! Thank you for checking in...

Video interview of first responder firemen

Check here to see video of the campus. The interview of the firemen is powerful. Many of those interviewed were the ones that pulled Kevin and the others out of the pile. They also came to see Kevin in the hospital. They are amazing guys!!!!

Click Here for Jackson Sun Videos

Great news from Jason

Check out Jason's blog - Valentine's Day was a very good day! See link to the right!!!!! REALLY GOOD NEWS!!!!

Telling the story

Union University interviewed Kevin last Friday. Here is a link to the video:

Click Here - You Tube

Telling the story for the sake of Christ

Thanks to everyone that visits here and prays for Kevin on a daily (and sometimes hourly) basis. We have felt the love of friends and family.

Over the past several days Kevin has been trying to process the terrible ordeal and the amazing grace of God. After several days of back-to-back interviews and telling the story many times, he sorta stopped talking about it. Tonight at 7pm he is speaking for the first time at a Bible Study of guys. It is undoubtedly the first of many, many times that he will share the story of God's love and how the seven of them dealt with the fear and pain of the moment.

I have heard good things today from the parents of the other guys and girl still in the hospital. There is progress - some significant and some small - but progress. Matt, David, Cheryl and Jason - please lift them up.

Kevin continues to heal and we continue to be thankful!

Each day a little better

Kevin had a good day yesterday. He went back to Jackson to visit the other guys. He got to see Jason, David and Cheryl but Matt was not allowed visitors. They are all making progress day by day.

He is trying to figure out where he will live the rest of the semester. His friends have been so great during this ordeal. Thanks to everyone!

His leg is still pretty swollen and he is at physical therapy this morning. He also plans to stop by his high school this morning, ECS. He is speaking tonight at a bible study led by his mentor Will McKay.

Please take a moment and pray for the guys and girl still in the hospital. Also pray for the many kids that have lost so much and have been displaced. Union is a stronger school as a result of this but there is much to get done.

On his way....

It was a sweet time last night to just be at HOME! Several friends stopped by to see Kevin and he is doing well. Walking with a limp but good. His leg is still pretty swollen.

He has already left to go back to Jackson to see his buddies in the hospital. Several of them were in dialysis yesterday and he did not get to see them. He also found some items that he is taking back to them.

Little by little everyone is making progress. Thanks for your prayers!

Please pray right now for Matt (in ICU), David (in ICU), Jason and Cheryl. All three are progressing. Check-out Jason's blog on the right - it will bring a smile to your face today!

Home Sweet Home

It has been an emotional day. Kevin is home - but missing his family at Union. He is able to walk for short periods without assistance. His CPK numbers were down today to less than 20,000. Still a long way from 170 but much better than 94,000. He also has major swelling in his leg.

We left the hospital about 1:00pm and went to the campus. We were escorted to the "pile" that was Water's Commons. It was emotional and yet healing to stand on the pile. We touched the rubble that once was his ping-pong hang-out.

He was able to go to the spot where he was pulled out (see photos below) and to look into the hole that held him for almost four hours. Of course he is now now free and he compares his deliverance his deliverance from sin through Christ. Kevin found the baseball cap he was wearing. He also found Matt's hat. He did not find the Mac that was in the hole with him - but that is OK... He also found and brought home the trash can that some how ended-up between his legs during the ordeal. It is crushed and is witness to the amount of pressure that the concrete placed on his legs.

It was an emotional time for me and Susan also. We stood and cried and prayed and rejoiced in the amazing story of deliverance.
I know that many of you have looked at the photos here on this site and at the many stories on TV and in newspapers, but I can tell you first-hand that there is nothing that you can imagine that is close to being there and looking at the mounds of concrete, steel, wood and gravel and considering the extreme chances of anyone making it out - much less seven guys.

We also visited the girls dorms and again, the hand of God is evident, looking at the rubble that were buildings seven days ago. Every student has an amazing story. Many of the girls and guys that we have met over the past several days have lost EVERYTHING. Kevin's room was actually not hit hard and he has recovered a lot of the material items that seem so insignifant now. We are very blessed.

Please continue to pray for the students and faculty and the guys and girls that are still recovering from injuries. The school is planning to start class on the 20th and Kevin is ready to go back and see everyone (although he will have to do it from a wheel-chair).

We will continue to come here and give you updates on Kevin and the other guys. And to share stories that we have shared with so many over the past several days. Kevin is writing his story down and I hope to share that here also.


The words that have been spoken the most over the past week are, "we are so blessed." Thank you for your prayers and support.

Check the link to the right for an update of Jason and Matt...

Going Home Soon

The doctor came by this morning and has said that Kevin can go home this afternoon. We are very happy and blessed. Friends have already been here this morning and it will be very hard to leave Jackson and his AMAZING friends here. But, he will be back in a week to start classes and he is excited about that.

He wants to visit the campus before we leave and we plan to do that.

Pray for the other guys to continue to recover and pray for Kevin as he deals with leaving them behind.

We are so, so blessed....

Sunday was a good day!

I usually love Sundays - but today was better than usual.

Kevin had another good day. At 3pm they removed his IV. He is walking around the hospital visiting the other Union students - three guys and one girl still here. His numbers continue to improve. He MAY get to go home tomorrow (Monday). He does want to get out of the hospital bed but does NOT want to leave the other guys. It will be hard to leave but he already has plans to come back this week to see the guys.

Please continue to pray for Matt, David and Jason. Matt and David are still in ICU. Jason is in a regular room. They are all three making incremental progress but need your prayers.

Earlier this week Kevin was interviewed for several publications that have articles today that include quotes from Kevin and the parents of several guys. We are so proud.

I talked with Ben Mandrell, the pastor of Englewood Baptist in Jackson (the church where Kevin is working). Late last night he told me that the church voted to provide rooms for 300 students in a hotel that they own. See the story in the link to the right.

Also - check-out the amazing articles that were in the paper today - See "Video and Publications" links to the right.

Another visit

Kevin is continuing to get better by the hour. The doctor said we may get to go home on Monday - that is Kevin's plan for sure. Although he has already worked out the transportation issues to get back to Jackson within days - to visit his friends in the hospital. He got into regular clothes last night for the first time and walked unassisted to dinner. It was a wonderful sight.

After talking to several of the firefighters that were on the scene, I needed to go back to the "pile" to just stand and thank God for the rescue. The Captian told me that just as they were close to rescuing Kevin that another storm was on the way. Several minutes before, he had reached down and touched Kevin hand reaching out of the hole he was in (read the story about Kevin waiving his hand in the link below to the Commercial Appeal).

He said the dispatcher said they had 10 minutes before another "red cell" would hit. He knew it was going to take at leaset another 30 more minutes to get Kevin out and perhaps hours for the others. The firefighter said he looked down into the hole at Kevin and the other three still trapped and he said to himself, "I am not leaving. When I leave here, he is coming with me.....they are coming with me. ALL of us are coming out of this together" He then turned to the other people on the pile and told them about the danger and that they should all seek cover. Not one person left the pile that night. Firefighters, students, faculty, medical workers, doctors, medics - NOT ONE.

To all of you on the pile - Thank you for saving his life.... thank you for putting your life in danger to bring Kevin and the other six out. We love you.

It has been amazing the number of workers that have come to hug Kevin and talk about the rescue. It is a time of reflection and redemption for all of the work that they did.

Julie Dockery, Dr. Dockery's daughter-in-law (the President of the University) escourted me to the scene yesterday. We stood in silence and thanked God for his mercy. I touched the rocks and concrete and debris and tried to imagine what it must have been like..... I thought about the fact that not one boy has a head injury and that they all had little pockets for their heads and could communicate with each other. I thought about the fact that they had two to three tons of stuff on them but that everyone had been taken out alive and that they all are due to recover. I thought about Kevin's remark to CBS (which they edited out). "If you ever wonder where God is - I can tell you... He was 25 feet deep, under three tons of stuff - right there next to me...."

On this Sunday morning, we are thanking God for his love and mercies.

Walking in Jackson...

It was a very good day. The numbers continue to go down. But even more importantly his group of friends from Union were able to get Kevin to walk a LOT today. He is even walking without any assistance. It is a sight to see! The doctor today said that he might be able to go home early next week!

Kevin has had so many visitors over the past four days. Thank you to everyone that has driven from Memphis, Illinois, Birmingham, Nashville, and other places to see us and give us much-needed hugs. Your support and love has kept us afloat.

Thanks to the family of Union University for giving us so much support. There is now a bond to Union that will never be broken.

The other guys are also progressing. David, Matt and Jason are all getting a little better every day. Your prayers are working - so keep that going! Kevin got to visit all of them over the past several days.

One last story before I shut down for the day. If you have any doubt about what a miracle this week has been - I had a conversation today with the Captain that ran the rescue. He shared with me that in 28 years of being in rescue, he had never been to a disaster that was this bad and that he had never pulled anyone out of a pile of ruble like this - ever! He had a special smile on his face as he said, "Can you believe it? Seven guys, just amazing!"

Thanks again for your calls, emails, comments, thoughts and prayers!''

See the link to the right "Video and Publications" for the link to the main Union Recovery website. There is a story about the seven guys trapped - scroll down to Kevin's picture.

Numbers are down!

It has been a good morning. Kevin's numbers are still going down - from a high of 94,000 to 63,000 this morning. We are moving in the right direction.

A team of first responders and fire fighters came by this morning. Kevin was joking with them and they were sharing the bond of life.

I am sure stories will spill-out of the next several weeks. I could write here for hours and share the miracles that Kevin and the rescurers share each day. Here is a quick one that will bring a smile. Kevin was talking with the Captain that was in charge of the entire rescue effort.

"I just have to tell you. I know you guys were working really hard but I need to go on record that you were just not working fast enough! We kept thinking why don't hurry-up!"

The fireman laughed and said that perhaps he could go with them on the next call and help them make the right decisions and work faster.

They laughed and joked and told stories.

More good news and stories to follow...

Pit to Praise

When we got to the hotel last night about midnight, Keesha (Kevin's sister) found this verse, wrote it down and brought it on a note to Kevin this morning:

Psalm 40:2

I waited patiently for the LORD; And He inclined to me and heard my cry. He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay, And He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; Many will see and fear and will trust in the LORD.

Story never gets old...

Today was a great day. Kevin continues to make progress. He had even more feeling in his feet today and actually walked about 15 feet - it was a blessing. I thought back to the first time he walked about 18 years ago and how the happiness was very much the same - but better.

There have been SO MANY visitors. There are times when there are up to 12 people in his room. And times when people are waiting outside the room to find room to visit him. It has just been amazing. Friends from Memphis and friends from Union. The University is taking amazing care of our family this week. We are very blessed.

If you have not heard, Kevin has become a "celebrity" on the news circuit. He told me today that he "will keep doing the interviews because the other guys cannot talk yet - but he is hoping they can talk to media soon." Part of his wish became true tonight when David's father told his story on the local news.

Kevin has been interviewed by lots of media:

1. Live interview by Greta Van Sustran from his hospital bed.
2. Several interviews with Commercial Appeal
3. CBS Evening News
4. Jackson Sun - Article for Sunday
5. Englewood Church - video for message on Sunday (where Kevin works in Jackson)
6. Action News Five in Memphis
7. Union University

See the links to everything on the right under Videos and Publications

Kevin has done an amazing job representing his friends, his school, his family and his Jesus.

My photos with comments are up here at Flickr - you can access them through the link on the right - Photos. I took these on Wednesday afternoon. I just had to go there and see where he was when it happened - up close. I have added photos from other visits since then.

Thanks for your prayers and thoughts... We are very blessed. I hope to have some personal posts here soon from Kevin. Please feel free to leave comments. I hope to video-tape his "story" tomorrow and post a link here soon...

Thanks!

Photos

Live shot of rescue - note the lights in the back at the entry point to the "hole" of rescue.



This is the "pile" that where Kevin and six other guys were buried for 4 to 6 hours.




Look in the middle - this is the hole were Kevin and the others were pulled from. The paramedics told me that the pile was about twice as high when they arrived. The first three were directly under the hole about 10 feet down. Kevin and three others were about 10 feet down right where the white pole on the left ends. They all were pulled through the middle whole. The large concrete piece above them is laying on two vending machines that held it up and did not allow it to crush the guys. Notice the 4x4 blocks in the hole that were the "chucks" that helped build the hole.

Bad Day / Good Day

Thanks for everyone’s prayers and notes and emails and calls over the past several days.
Today was a full day and a happy one.

Kevin got out of bed for the first time. He was able to get into a wheel chair and go and visit two of the three guys still left in the hospital. One was in surgery so we are going to visit him tomorrow. I got to go with him and it was amazing to see him touch their hands and pray. The other three guys are struggling with more medical issues than Kevin but they are all going to be ok after long roads of recovery. I don’t want to release too much information on other kids but there may be some links to their contact info in the future.

Kevin still cannot feel his feet. The doctors tell us this will eventually come back. He is not in a lot of pain so that is good, although his back is hurting. He also cannot walk because he cannot feel his feet. But we are very blessed that he will eventually be able to – and should have not long-term injuries. The doctors say it could be up to several weeks.

We had a major scare today when one doctor told us that he may need surgery in the afternoon but about 10pm last night the doctor said no surgery. His CPK – a rating of toxins in your blood from the crushing of muscles was supposed to be 160. His were 68,000 on Wednesday night 79,000 on Thursday morning, 90,000 tonight. That is NOT a typo. But they expect them to come down today.

Well – that is all I have time to write right now – just know that we are feeling your prayers and cannot wait to see each of you in the future and rejoice in the amazing miracle that God has given us.

The links to the right include:

1. Bob’s photos taken Wed Morning
2. The collection of photos from one of the great photographers for the Union publications.
3. If you want to see more go to http://www.flickr.com/ and search Union University – there are thousands of photos…

Life is Precious - God is Good

Wednesday morning

Tuesday night was one of the worse nights of my life but Wednesday morning may have been the best ever.

As you may have heard by now, our son Kevin was one of the seven guys that were trapped under a building for four hours on Tuesday night. We are very blessed. He is doing well but still has some medical issues and will be in the hospital for several days. Three other guys have been released and three others are dealing with more extreme medical issues. Please pray for Matt, David both in Intensive Care and Jason who is experiencing the same injuries as Kevin.

It has been all over the news – in fact they interviewed Kevin live from his hospital bed last night on Fox News – Greta On The Record.

I don’t have enough time to write the full details but here is a short version.

Kevin and his friends were in a student commons building. Seconds before the tornado hit, three ran into the girl’s bathroom and four into the boy’s for cover. Kevin said his “ears popped, the building shook, and then we were covered and in the black.” The two story building literally imploded around them and the roof and walls of several dormitories then fell on top of that. The paramedic said that they were about 30 feet deep and about two to three tons of rubble on top of them. Yet somehow, God made the decision to spare their lives.

When the building imploded Kevin was left partial standing with his legs turned backward and under him. He could move his neck, his right arm and that was all. All of the guys were blow into little pockets and were awake. Kevin said “for the first 30 minutes we all screamed and yelled – we begin to understand that we could hear each other but we had no idea how deep we were. One of the guys, Jordan, said he was in a little pocket and not injured. He had been sitting on the commode when it hit and now was able to wiggle down into a hole below. He became the leader of the survival. He began to pray out-loud and take an inventory of who was hurt and how bad.” They guys begin to talk and take turns praying. Matt was hurt the worse with large concrete on his legs. Jason had concrete and rubble on his chest. Kevin said his legs and one arm begin to go numb after 45 minutes. We learned later that for the first 1.5 hours that the fire fighters could not find them. One of the boys called 911 on their cell-phone. Kevin had just pulled his out to text his mom and lost it in the implosion. Kevin said he begin to quote scripture out-loud that he has memorized. The other guys joined in. They also sang hymns and asked each other “what did God have planned for them when this was over.”

After 45 minutes the guys said they begin to hear the muffled sound of rescuers. Jordan could yell and give information about their status.

The first guy was pulled out after 2 hours. Kevin was the fourth guy out at about 3.5 hours. The last kid was out at 5 hours. The paramedic said it was “a mini version of the World Trade Center.”

There is a whole other odyssey about me getting from Las Vegas, where I was training, to Jackson. I arrived yesterday at 9am.

So that is the short version – there is just so much more to tell. The medic said to me yesterday when I visited the “hole” that “there is just no way that we were able to pull seven guys alive out of that rubble – it had to be a ‘God Thing.’ Standing here it is hard to believe that we could have found them and gotten them out of the pockets of rubble”

Kevin’s version of this is much more powerful and detailed.

You can google “Union University” for some of the amazing photos. I hope to have access to upload some later today.

So – Please pray that the guys continue to recover. Pray for the moms, dads and families that are dealing with the shock. Pray for the 1600 kids that were on the campus and are still alive today.

I will send more updates…

Feel free to call me but I have very limited access to email (only on my phone).

Yesterday was one of the best days in my life as I hugged my son. We are blessed.