Travis Bigham Benefit ~ Part II

The benefit for Travis was so AMAZING!

It had everything............

a prayer of thanksgiving, hope & love,

delicious food, nine awesome bands

that played all day, face painting,

hair spray, jumpers, a pinata,

"Pray for Travis" bracelets were

given out at the door,

"BE BOLD" car stickers donated

by Melanie Massey (as in MoJoy!)

were also handed out,

a silent and live auction,

LOTS of people, and of course

the BEST part of allllllllllll:

Superman Himself!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

One of the singers learned and prepared

the song "That's my Son" to sing

to Lynna and Travis....

Talk.about.a.Tear.Jerker!!!

Thank you, Rodney.

Hudson was a little overwhelmed by the

entire day and no nap, etc.  He would

not go to anyone...other than me or

TRAVIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Look at Travis...just taking it all in...

laughing and smiling at his friends. 

What a PERFECT day!

This is Ella Reid.

She is a precious little girl in Walker's class.

I met her mom on the phone one night when

I called to ask her to do something for

the PTA.  As we were getting off the phone,

she said, "I know you don't know me,

but I'm following your nephew's story

and I'm praying for him."

She and I bonded immediately

and I love this PRECIOUS family

so very much.  Such genuine people.
Ella Reid's mom, Melissa, prays for Lynna
to have "strength for each day
and hope for each tomorrow."
I love that:)

This is Colton...he is also in Walker's class.

He and his family just showed up

after Walker invited everyone and his teachers

sent an e-mail to all the parents about it.

Fun face painting:)

The Hoodies were there OF COURSE!!!

Pam and Shannon...LOVE them so,

so much!  Even Pam's sweet parents came...

just to show their support and love.

Lynna and her beautiful

 best friend from work...Andrea:)

Mrs. Heather's little boy, Brady.

He has been so faithful to pray for Travis.

These little lives affected by all of this

mean so very much to my family and me.

Mrs. Donahoo came back later that day so

she could see Walker (he was gone earlier playing

in his baseball game AND hitting a homerun!).

How wonderful and supportive

is it that BOTH of Walker's teachers

came that day!  We are just so blessed:)

I still can't believe it, but Lynna

came up on stage and thanked everyone

who put the shindig on and to everyone

who came and who has prayed for us.

She also thanked the Merritts,

Michelle and me.  She then

said the most moving thank you

to my parents.  She told everyone how

she never could have made it had they

not done all they did while Travis

was in Austin.  THEN, she called

Hunter on stage and said the sweetest

things about HIM.  In fact, she said

that Hunter has always been the best

child.  We looked down and Travis

was shaking his head yes!!!  ha!

Finally, Lynna spoke directly

to Travis and told him just how proud

she is of him and how he is her hero.

Lynna's strength amazes me. 

Absolutely.Amazes.Me.

Travis sat in the middle of the

crowd and took it all in....

I was leaning forward reminding her of things;)

Then Scott stood up and also

gave a very moving and grateful speech.

I almost forgot...Lynna also thanked

Garrett!  I thought that was so perfect

and SO well-deserved!!!

Talking about our Hunter B:)

Then we rushed off stage to go

and put our hands on Travis

while Lynna's INCREDIBLE

friend, Mike Cleveland, said a prayer.

A prayer of GRATITUDE, HOPE

and LOVE.....it was the absolute

BEST part of the entire day.

Then it was time for the LIVE auction!

There was a couple of HUGE

Texas Ranger items...

like a Josh Hamilton signed ball

and a Michael Young bat. 

Garrett wanted that baseball

SO BAD, but the price just kept going

waaaaay up and he had to stop his

bidding.  Then he REALLY wanted the

bat and the same thing started happening

again.  SO Troy, Michelle, Lynna...all of

us ran over to Garrett and started giving

him money so he could win the

bat and HE DID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We were so happy for our Garrett!!!

There was an awesome 4 wheeler that Troy

wanted.;)  Tess, Trav's friend, did a great

job as the model!!!  Walker's friend,

Colton, and his family bought the 4 wheeler!:)

Travis enjoyed the day so much.

Scott was supposed to take Travis

home early evening and we all

DREADED that...BUT Trav was

having such a great day, that they

decided to let him stay until VERY LATE!

Lynna and Mike Cleveland. 

He is a friend from high school.
 He and his family

have been so generous and supportive

and FAITHFUL to pray.

His sweet daughter, too:)

There's not enough blog space for me

to write about the Reeds.  As I've said

before, I called Robin on my way to

the hospital to ask her to pray.  This

was before I really knew anything.

The next thing I knew she was at

the hospital like the angel she is.

She and Casey have been so

incredibly GENEROUS and

THOUGHTFUL to my entire family...

especially Lynna.  They are truly

good, Christian friends...

and are really just like family now.

I am beyond grateful to this

family of five..............

I love you, Robin Reed!

My sister from another mister!!!;)

Trav's high school principal,

Mrs. Canuteson!!!

My beloved beautiful next door hoodies,

The Nemecs.  Again, just incredible Christian

friends who happen to live right next door.

They stepped right in from day one

taking care of us in so many, many ways.

Elizabeth 'gets' this and 'feels' all of this

in such a way that I can't adequately describe.

  She is truly a beautiful

person in every way possible.  I appreciate

her compassion and empathy

more than she could ever imagine.

I love you guys so much, Nemecs!!!

Thank you for EVERYTHING!

TEAM TRAVIS creators!!!

The silent auction was such a success...

SO many of my friends from high school,

college, current, and every where in

between donated for this shindig.

I will forever be grateful.......................

We tried to list everyone who contributed...

Shannon and Brad Brown...see that?

Unbelievable what ya'll sent.

The workers at Old Navy who put

together an awesome package...

I just know them from shopping in there so much;)

Ashley and Neil Moore...

Troy drove me crazy all night trying

to win the Microsoft Windows!  And he did:)

I am ONLY naming a few...........

I could go on and on!

Sweet, sweet supportive girlfriends of Travis!

LOVE and ADORE them!

Maylan and Lindsay were selling the

AWESOME benefit shirts

that LOGAN designed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That was SOOOOOOOOOOOO cool!!!

I'm a proud AUNT!:)

The auctioneer:)

Sweet Hunter B & the Hudsy Puds...

At one point in the evening, I was sitting at

my parents' table and happened to look at

the middle of the dance floor to see Macy

and Travis sitting there.  They were leaned

towards each other laughing, smiling......

just being my niece and my nephew.

For the first time in a LONG time,

things seemed so normal.

For just that very few moments...

it was the highlight of my day.

I've loved these two since the

second I knew of their existence.

My first boy love and my first girl love.

I am honored to be their aunt:)

Becky and Lynna grew up together.

Becky was in charge of EVERYTHING.

What a true and amazing friend....................

This guy was all over that benefit;)

Lynna asked me to put together some boards

showing pictures of Trav's entire journey.

Most people did not get to go back

and see Travis during those very most

crititcal first few weeks and then

we didn't share pictures during

the almost four months that he

was in a coma.  We didn't want to

make people sad by seeing these

pictures, but rather for people

to see the more of the miracle...

Such wonderful friends....

Our family felt so very loved that day:)

The most amazing parents/grandparents

 in the world!!!

Scott & Dana

The banners from http://www.buildasign.com/

were so awesome!!!

There were some limo packages in the

silent auction.  Haddie Girl wanted to win that;)

Aunt Kitty with some of her winnings;)

So sweet...Haddie LOVES her
Logolo!  How AWESOME are the

shirts he designed?!?

Two of my very most favorite guys;)

Sweet, oh so sweet................

Hunter with his girlfriends:)))

Funny faces:) 

These two have always been a hoot!

Another incredible friend from high school to Lynna...

Garrett with Kimberly Kelly...

she was the headliner.  A fabulous

and upcoming singer:)

The Pack Girls...like family to us:)

Our beautiful and wonderful

Aunt Kitty and Uncle Ronald.

LOVE love LOVE them so dearly!

Hudson finally crashed and my sweet dad

was more than willing to give me a break...

Love you Ash! 

 (Macy's best friend from high school)...

Colton spent the rest of the day and night with us.

Check them out in their new shirts:)

Such a sweet friend of Trav's...

he participated in a triathalon with Skye

and some other Baylor girls just so he

could be with hot girls;)))

She's my friend now, too:)

This was towards the end of the night

and Travis was getting really tired...

although he would NEVER admit it!!!

How cute are they?!?

My beautiful big/little sister.

I love her so much!!!

We have bonded in a way that I could

never describe in words.

The most kind hearted person I know.

So attentive, so loving, so Michelle!

The Merritts:)

Lynna and Skye

This is the amazing Amber...Alyssa's sister.

She came all the way from Corpus to

help out at the benefit.  She is one

amazing chick and I love her to death!

I wrote to our local news stations before

the benefit.  The day I sent the e-mail to

News Channel 6, I received a reply

from Myra Arthur...their lead anchor.

She did an awesome story the night

before the benefit and then sent a

crew out to the actual benefit and

ran another story that very night. 

I never could get it recorded, but

as I watched it on my computer

I took some pictures;)

I stopped dead in my tracks that Friday night

when I saw the story on the tv and then the tears

rolled down my face.  What a story

Travis has to tell!  I pray to God that he is

given the chance to TRULY tell his

own story with words from HIS own mouth. 

His thumbs up;)

Check out Aunt Michelle with those

cheerleader arms cheering on our boy!!!:)

Aunt Mindy was even interviewed;)

I was so honored to brag on my nephew

AND give ALLLLLL the glory to God!

How sweet that the news story

ended with a picture of Travis

smiling and holding Hudson.

My sweet kindred spirits...

and to think, I so worried several

months ago that Hudson would never

really know Travis. 

  As we have said since July 25, 2010,

God has been right with us every single

step of the way and Saturday, April 16th 

was absolutely no different!

It was truly a miracle of a

day celebrating a miracle!!!  

This is an excerpt from my

Caringbridge entry about the benefit...

Don’t you dare even think I am not going to describe how INSPIRING it was to have Travis Superman Bigham there himself.  I still get the chills thinking about when he first arrived and Lynna pushed him into the main room.  Everyone clapped and cheered like he was a famous celebrity!  If Travis were writing this update himself he would totally spell out, “DUH” (one of his favorite texts these days!)…because he IS famous now!!!  Then when Travis (with help from his dad and his awesome nurse and therapist who came with him from CNS) STOOD up…well, it was just AWE-INSPIRING.   A real life miracle!!!  God has truly performed a miracle and so many were able to witness it first hand on that Saturday.  Thank you Sweet Jesus for shining through every moment of the benefit. 

I have SO MANY highlights…too many to list, but I must just share this one…  At one point in the evening I happened to look out where Travis was seated in the middle of the dance floor to see him and Macy shoulder to shoulder listening to the band, laughing, smiling…and for one moment in time, things seemed so normal to me.  Travis and Macy (my sister Michelle’s oldest daughter who is one year younger than Travis) literally grew up together…just like brother and sister…loving each other like crazy and sometimes even fighting like crazy.  It warmed this aunt’s heart to see them as I’ve watched them and loved them for the last 21 years.  It brought on a wave of emotions.  Travis is the type of person who would have loved to attend a benefit like that to honor and support someone.  He would have been the life of the party!  Travis has always been so open and kind to all people…no matter who they were or what they were like.  He’s always had a good heart.  Several times that day my heart hurt over the fact that Travis wasn’t able to run around flashing his million dollar smile charming the socks off everyone he meets.  Trav’s sweet Senior English teacher wrote to me after the benefit and I thought her words were so profound:  “It breaks my heart knowing how active, clever, and fun-loving Travis was before the accident and how restricted his communication is now.”  Her words are SO TRUE! 

Life is very different now though and thankfully Travis is amazing in a new, different way.   Now he is like a superhero!  I watched him graciously pose for pictures all day long and listen intently as people spoke to him.  It was so cool to see him give a thumbs up to so many and also immediately sign “thank you” to his sweet nurse from Hillcrest whom I introduced him to for the first time.  We take great heart in the fact that Travis is changing/has changed so many lives with his journey…especially the lives of so many little kids.  Maybe they will never forget this story and it will help them to make better choices when they are older.  Lynna was SO TOUCHED by my dear college friend’s little girl named Judy Scott (they came from Dallas to attend the event).  Judy is a precious little six year old girl who looked at Lynna and said, “I’m so sorry for what happened to Travis.”  God is moving through people of all ages.