Tanner Hurst

Tanner was our fourth born child. He had one older sister and two older brothers. His dad and I were both 40 years old when we had him. So we jokingly called him "our little caboose". Tiffany was 17 when Tanner was born, Jody was 12 and Dustin was 4. Needless to say, he was the light of our lives.

Tanner was a 7th grader at Magnolia Junior High in Magnolia, Texas when he became ill. Around midnight on Thursday, January 11, he started throwing up. He was sick all night with flu-like symptoms. On Friday morning, I called the doctor. I noticed a rash on his stomach and a purplish spot on his wrist. We got him to the doctor's office around noon. After a few tests, the doctor said he believed that Tanner had Spinal Meningitis and that we should get him to Texas Children's Hospital immediately. My husband decided to forego the offer of an ambulance and we drove him there ourselves. About the time we reached the Medical Center area, Tanner started having small seizures. The doctors and nurses in the ER took one look at him as we came through the doors and immediately started treatment on him. I went into the examining room with him to answer some questions from the doctor. He spoke to Tanner and said "What is your name, buddy?" He answered "Tanner." "How old are you?" Again he answered "13." Those were the last two words that I heard my baby speak. The doctors told us all of the things that could and probably would happen to him in the next few hours and days. Swelling to double his size, turning dark, possibly loss of limbs, or loss of sight. But none of that happened to Tanner. He looked like he was just asleep.

On Saturday night the head doctor on Tanner's case told us that she believed this terrible disease had gone straight to Tanner's brain and that he had no brain function. Of course they ran many more tests on him over the next several hours and then declared him "brain dead" on Monday morning the 15th of January. Let me stop here to say that the doctors and nurses in the Pediatric Intensive Care unit were all wonderful care givers and also support for all of us. On Monday morning our family prayed about it and knew that Tanner would have wanted us to donate his organs.. The only recipient that we know about is a man from Amarillo who had only 12 hours to live unless he received a liver transplant. Tanner's liver saved his life.

First, I know what�s happened to me is a pretty big shock to all of y�all. It shocked me too. But as I lay there in that bed, oh and just so you know Mom and Dad, I didn�t feel any pain. Anyway, I was laying there and I began to see these glimpses of light. At first I wasn�t too sure what was going on, but then I realized the light was coming from heaven. I thought - Am I dying? And then immediately I thought � No, I�m just about to start LIVING. And let me just tell y�all that this is the life. You can never in your wildest dreams imagine how cool this place is! Those streets of gold we�ve always talked about they aren�t just like colored gold or there aren�t just like pieces or specks of gold in these streets they are solid made of gold. Like a concrete street is made of concrete. And I�m walking on them � barefooted. It�s the first time in my life that I don�t wanna wear a cool pair of shoes.

Let me tell you about what I look like. My heavenly body is BAD! You know I was always a pretty good looking kid � but here, I�m just perfect. No faults or anything. Really the only way I can describe it is perfect and beautiful.

They have this choir here of angels. They are like a 100 times � no 1000 times better than the Brooklyn Tab. And when I got here they all started singing and dancing and smiling � I knew it was all for me. And guess what? I�m going to be part of that choir � and I don�t even have to try out � I�m in.

They�re still showing me around up here but everything I�ve already seen is more beautiful than you can dream. SO much better than anything down there.

And Jesus. I knew exactly who He was when I saw Him. I didn�t even have to ask to see the scars on His hands and feet. They said most people when they get here have to ask to see that � but I didn�t � I knew Him. I sat in His lap and He put my head on His shoulder and He just held me for a while. I didn�t ever want to get up. He told me what a great job I did down there. But He said that it was time for me to be with Him. I talked to Him about y�all and we both knew that y�all were going to be very upset about this. He knows how strong y�all are and He said that He chooses only the very strongest of His children to go through real hard times like this. He said that His spirit will be y�alls comfort and strength. Now I just want to tell y�all that I know how sad you are because I know how much you loved me and still love me - I mean I was a pretty lovable guy. But I don�t want this to hurt your feelings and Jesus said that I need to tell y�all that, I don�t want to be back there. It has nothing to do with y�all or my life there. It�s just not my place anymore. It�s kinda like I was on this great vacation that I got to see so many wonderful things but vacations have to end. And you know how when you�re on one and towards the end you want to get home, well that�s just what I did. I got home. And someday we will all be here together. And when you feel sad about me just pray. Jesus promised me that He will always sent His spirit to comfort y�all. And the angels will be watching over y�all too. I love y�all and thank you for making my life so happy. I can�t wait to see y�all again. Oh and also, this is so important. Sometimes I know it�s hard down there to tell people about Jesus but there�s no way that you would want anyone you know to miss this. Now that I�m here I wish I could have let more people know � but please tell people so they can have a chance to know Him like we do.

	Tanner on the rocks <Tanner on the first day of 7th grade.

All the love �Tanner