A couple of weeks ago we had a speaker at our Compassionate Friends meeting. Mitch Carmody lost his son Kelly to cancer in 1987 and he’s written a book entitiled, Letters to My Son. I had read it several years ago and have wanted to meet Mitch for a very long time. I contacted him last Fall and we set in motion his coming to town to speak to our group on March 14th. Our local paper did a really nice front-page interview with Mitch that ran the day before our meeting.
We had a great turn out and the article brought out many more than our CF membership. We had one couple attend who had not lost a child, but were about to. The Harlicker’s have a 7 year old son, Tyler, in the final stages of a cancer battle. When they read the article in the paper about Mitch, and the fact that he also lost a son from cancer, about the same age as Tyler, they felt compelled to attend as they said they felt it was a sign from God.
Everyone in town knows about Tyler and his cancer battle. We have been praying for him for over a year in church every week. Roger and I met Tim & Sue for the first time that night and they are amazing — very strong and we both were very touched at the openness with which they have dealt with this painful journey in ther family. They have also talked very openly with Tyler and his brothers and sisters about his impending journey to heaven.
When Mitch Carmody’s son Kelly was in the midst of his cancer battle, he clutched a rosary and it brought tremendous comfort to him and his family. Several years after Kelly passed Mitch came upon the rosary and began to lend it out to other people who were also fighting cancer or some other life crisis. Some were healed and sometimes the rosary became a very comforting symbol that helped them through the journey.
The rosary had been out on loan for the past three years. However the week after Mitch spoke and met the Harlicker’s, the rosary was returned to him. And, he immediately knew that it needed to go to Tyler. The next day the Harlicker’s took a road trip with Tyler to meet Mich and his wife Barb and accept the rosary. Tyler was able to see pictures of Kelly – who he knew would be his new friend in heaven.
Tyler completed his journey this past Tuesday and the rosary served the purpose for which it was intended. Here is the heartbreaking but amazing account written by Tyler’s Dad, of Tyler’s transition from this world to the next.
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/tylerharlicker/journal
Kim
LOVE LIVES ON 
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