Unexpected Tragedies

Julie and I were eating at a restaurant and preparing to go to our grand daughter's Choir event when I got a text from Ray Torno that his youngest son Steven had passed. Apparently he had laid down to take a nap and when his son went to wake him up he was gone. His son found him.

In my old age I find myself increasingly emotional and when we got that news I didn’t feel much like eating and got a little teary in the middle of a restaurant surrounded by strangers. Steven was about a year older than my son and we watched him grow up at church. He frequently spent the night at our house and was almost like a part of our family.

I’ve lost a father and a brother and I guess if you asked me which hurt the most I guess I would say losing my brother. I think about him and miss him every day. But I’ve never lost a child or a wife and don’t know that pain. I could only imagine getting a phone call with the news that I had lost my son.

During the choir concert while I listened to the singing I started texting all those that I could think of who the Torno family was important to. Among those were Kollin and Leslie Stone and then I got this text from Kollin…

"I’m so sorry to hear about Steven’s passing. He was too young. Thank you for letting me know. I’ll lift up his family in my prayers tonight. I was thinking about reaching out to you earlier today before hearing about Steven.

I’ll try to keep this short, but won’t be able to: the 2 year old, 85 lb lab/pit mix we rescued as a stray puppy attacked Leslea last night. No warning, 2 years of being a sweet dog. Came out of nowhere. They were sitting on the couch watching tv. I was in the room & pulled the dog off her.

She had facial reconstruction surgery this morning. It is bad but could have been worse. Her eyes are undamaged. Several lines of sutures on forehead, around nose & on cheek. Cadaver skin on nose, where damage was worst - exposed cartilage. Lots of puncture wounds on left hand & face. Maybe some nerve damage.

I’ve stayed with her @ the hospital. She’s recovering & may require additional surgery. She’s being very well taken care of - this is an excellent hospital. She’s actually in the burn unit where they specialize in injuries like this.

We put the dog down this morning. It was our son Sawyer’s dog, so he’s had a really difficult time blaming himself, then having to put his good ‘friend,’ down. He’s a mommas boy & they are very close.

I’ve been praying, among other things that she heals to the extent that she is not self conscious about her appearance and gets depressed. Sawyer has left the church but is a believer. The church is already coming to our side & I’m hoping he’ll reconsider his negative attitude towards ‘all those hypocrites.’

Leslea is being discharged tomorrow.

Thanks for all you let the Lord do through you, Rob.

Of course any prayers for Leslea’s recovery would be greatly appreciated. For Sawyer, too. Take care my brother”

Kollin asked me to share that with the congregation. Leslea Martin Stone grew up with Steven Torno and the families were very close until they moved off. That was a double whammy.

I was scheduled to do announcements at Church yesterday and dreaded doing it because I knew I would lose my composure… I just didn’t know how bad it would be. I saved Stevens announcement for the very end but in the middle of the announcements I shared the news about Leslea and surprise, surprise, surprise... I choked up. I didn’t anticipate that.

At the very end, while saying a few things about Steven, I couldn’t look at the audience and I had to stop a few times and gather myself but I got through it without openly sobbing (that had happened already on the way to church).

In retrospect I’m glad that the announcement fell on me because it needed to be an announcement with feeling for the families sake.

Today is my birthday and its a sad one.

No Church News article today. I’m just not feeling it.

Rob