Nehemiah Joel
May 3, 2022- September 20, 2024
I was driving with my children to LeRoy to pick apples when I received a text from a close mutual friend, asking if I had heard about the accident. Since our children knew this family well, I immediately called her and pulled over at the Freedom on Towanda Barnes to hear the heartbreaking news: our dear friends' precious 2-year-old son had tragically been killed in an accident at their home. Just 10 days earlier, Nehemiah had been in our car, playing with my children and his older siblings while his mom and I chatted outside.
I rushed to the hospital, hoping to get to the right one. We arrived just as the older siblings were coming in to say their goodbyes. Their children are 11, 10, and 7, while mine are 12, 10, and 7, and my heart stopped when I saw them. As we walked into the ER, we were met by at least 30 of our mutual friends, all of them sobbing as the siblings had just walked through. It was a moment I couldn’t imagine missing; I knew I had to be there for our friends during this unimaginable time. I’m so thankful they trust in Jesus, but I knew the road ahead would be incredibly tough.
The accident happened on a Friday night, and by 4 a.m. on Monday, another dear friend, Taylor, felt led by the Holy Spirit to create something beautiful for the family. She hadn’t painted in 10 years, but within 13 hours, she completed a stunning work of art. That same day, Bryan, Nehemiah’s dad, went to see a grief and trauma counselor who specializes in EMDR Therapy. Bryan, one of the most hands-on dads I know, would do anything to protect his children, but as a firefighter and paramedic, he was also deeply affected by the trauma of losing his son. The counselor suggested that when the traumatic memories of the accident replayed in his mind, he should imagine something that would bring him joy and peace, specifically with Nehemiah.
On Thursday, before the visitation, Taylor presented Bryan and Samantha with an image of Jesus holding Nehemiah. When Bryan saw it, he said that this was exactly how he pictured Nehemiah in Heaven with Jesus. How beautiful that God meets us just when and where we need Him the most! I can't imagine living this life with out the hope of Hope of Heaven! If you don't have that peace in your heart, please ask me about how you can have peace in tragic times.
Though our hearts are still heavy from the loss of this sweet boy, we’ve seen God move in profound ways since his passing. We may never fully understand why this happened, but we trust that God has our days numbered and that He allowed Nehemiah to be with us for 871 precious days.
https://www.calvertmemorial.com/obituaries/nehemiah-schoenecke
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