Just in case some of you didn’t open this week’s Valley Record lying on your driveway….. The Botten family’s letter to the editor was absolutely beautiful. As the mother of their son’s friend I will say just this – thank you. My daughter was glad to know her and Cody’s friends efforts of love were not useless. The letter reads….
“In Appreciation From Cody’s Family:
There are no words to express our pain; nor words to express our gratitude. The love, support and prayers we have received from the community have
been both humbling and inspiring. We have been especially moved by the students of the Valley—and beyond. All who camped out with us at the hospital were respectful and compassionate. We read Cody all of the cards, prayers, and Facebook posts; and showed him your beautiful pictures, posters, candles, T-shirts, songs, tattoos, and everything else. Cody felt your love—and so did we.
We desperately wish we had answers, or even insight, as to what happened. The prior week we were all in Georgia, spending family day with our oldest son Trey, who graduated from Army Basic Training at Fort Benning. Cody was happy as could be. In vivid detail, he painted for all of us the picture of his future. It consisted of working out with his brothers and uncles this winter, wrestling at 130 this year, starting Running Start in January, getting an ROTC scholarship to Central after graduation, and then joining the Army and becoming an Airborne Ranger. After all that, he wanted to be a firefighter.
While sitting at a Red Robin in Georgia, Cody drew on a napkin the tattoo he wanted to get when he turned 18 (or sooner if we would let him). His design was a cross comprised of stars representing each person in our family. Under the cross, Cody wrote 1 Corinthians 13:13, “Meanwhile these three remain: faith, hope, and love; and the greatest of these is love.” He even showed us the blue shirt he was going to wear to school on Monday. In Cody’s last text messages on Saturday morning, he told a friend he was a “happy boy.”
All of this leaves us desperately wondering what happened. Unfortunately, we may never know for sure. But as a family of faith, what matters now is that Cody is in heaven, most likely playing catch and eating ice cream with Grandpa Botten and playing cards with Grandma Stokes.
Being the tender-hearted and generous person he was, Cody had decided on his own that he wanted to be an organ donor. At this moment, it is bittersweet to realize that there are people living, who otherwise would not be, thanks to Cody’s gifts of life.
We have been asked by many caring people if there is anything they can do for us. Unfortunately, there really isn’t. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a contribution in Cody’s name to Snoqualmie Valley Alliance or your personal church; or to Children’s Therapy Center in Kent. Our only other request would be for your continued prayers for peace—for Cody, for our family, and for all who have been touched by this tragedy.
In love and appreciation,
The Bottens and family”
~Snoqualmie Valley Record 9/22/10
A memorial service in honor of Cody Botten’s Life will happen Saturday, October 2nd at 1PM at Mt. Si High School in Snoqualmie, WA.
The Botten Family Fundraiser has also been extended to this Sunday, 9/26/10. To date the fundraiser has earned over $3,000. Thank you to the Oberlander family and the entire Snoqualmie Valley for their generosity.
