My heart goes out....

to the Ringer family of Gillette. I'm sure a lot of you in Wyoming have heard of the 6 year old boy in Gillette that was hit and killed by a school bus this last week. I had the honor of taking the families last professional photos together before little Joshua's passing. My sister-in-law is best friends with Joshua's mother and my other sister-in-law is a sister-in-law to the mother's sister (if that makes sense?) Anyway we have a family website and my my sister-in-law posted a letter written by the aunt of the little boy, and before I post it on here I just want to say how much my heart hurts for this family. I can't imagine what this family is going through. It makes you want to hold your loved ones a little tighter and let them know your love for them more often. It makes me look at Jordan and appreciate every little smile, his laugh, the cute little look he gives me out of the corner of his eye, his cry, absolutely everything about him. I also am posting this letter so that you all can read about a little town in Wyoming that pulled together in a time of tragedy to make life a little easier on a grieving family. The love, forgiveness and loss of this situation touched me so I thought I would share it with all of you. This letter is from the Aunt thanking the town of Gillette for all that they had done.......

Dear Gillette Community,

On the morning of Feb. 10, 2009, Joshua Ringer was struck and killed by a school bus. A front page article appeared in The Gillette News-Record on the incident. Josh was my nephew. As the tragic news spread to family and friends and the community at large, we all gathered to offer prayers, love, compassion and support. I have not before witnessed such an outpouring of love and kindness from the entire community as we witnessed on this occasion. Family, friends, and even complete strangers came to offer hugs and condolences and shed tears with us. Gifts and food were brought. A memorial was erected at the site of the accident. First National Bank of Gillette set up a Memorial Fund. Car dealerships offered transportation to those traveling. Motels offered complementary rooms. The church where the funeral was held was filled on the morning of Feb. 12, 2009. The bus driver sat next to Chris and Cheryl during the funeral and joined with us afterward to eat a lunch prepared by the kindness of church members. Many entered with heavy hearts and left standing a little taller, with chins held a little higher. As Chris and Cheryl Ringer made their way through the crowd afterwards, most waited in line to have one more hug. School mates peeked in the window of the Hurst to see where Joshua's body lay in a beautiful white casket. When we all traveled to Casper for the burial, the Ringer's home was completely refurbished in 48 hrs.. Such community effort and kindness will, no doubt, be remembered and help in the days ahead when the tears flow and new routines are formed. We, as an extended family, express our gratitude to you all for making a very difficult time seem like a bit of Heaven on Earth! This is the kind of news we care to read; the kind of news that helps remind us that there is still goodness in the world; the kind that makes the death of a 6 yr. old child seem not so tragic after all because it left us all wanting to be better! Thank you! Debbie Gordon

Josh (right) with younger brother Riley

My prayers are with the Ringer/Bertnogle family as they mourn their loss.