[Magdalen] Prayer Request--Hayden and his friends

[Ginga Wilder]

Prayers for each and all, Jay.
Ginga

On Fri, Sep 28, 2018 at 6:36 PM Jay Weigel <jay.weigel at gmail.com> wrote:

> A couple of weeks ago, a boy named Hayden, a running back on the football
> team of one of the high schools in my former home town in Tennessee, shot
> himself. I don't know why and if anyone does, they aren't saying. He died
> at the hospital shortly thereafter. My grandson Boogie didn't know him, but
> Boogie's friend Miana was friends with him and is having a very hard time
> with it. Also of course his friends and teammates and his family are
> devastated. I ask your prayers for all of them. This is a Facebook post
> that appeared a few days later, written by a younger team member's mom,
> which might give you an idea of how things went. I ask your prayers for all
> concerned, especially for the person who made the comment that the kids
> should not celebrate their friend because it would be "glorifying suicide",
> that said person may be enlightened.
>  Jay
>
> I have had some time of reflection this afternoon so y’all get ready for a
> long, sappy post or keep scrolling. Either way is good. On Monday September
> 17th my child called me from school so distraught he couldn’t speak.
> Knowing the situation I went to the school with the intention of calming
> him down and making him stay at school with his friends. When I got there a
> group of upperclassmen football players were leaving to go to the hospital.
> They saw Shaffer crying and offered to take him with them. This was the
> first time God intervened in that day. I followed them and helped them get
> to CCU. The hallway was quickly filling with young people praying for
> answers and a miracle. Soon after the hospital determined they were a
> safety hazard and moved them to a conference room. The hospital staff was
> so compassionate with these teenagers. We had been there just a few minutes
> when one of the teens asked everyone to circle up and pray for a miracle.
> Side note...out school Superintendent was there and joined them. Not long
> after that the kids were told their friend had passed. They screamed. They
> cried. The stood in silence. Then they started talking about being
> together. I placed a call to one church. They couldn’t help. I called First
> Methodist. Their youth pastor came out of a meeting and said “ We will do
> whatever you need”. Second God intervention of the day. We agreed to open
> the church 4-7pm and let the kids gather. Several parents brought pizzas
> and drinks. When I arrived, the youth pastor had the lights down low and
> somber music playing. He had a beautiful prayer table set up in the middle
> with candles. I was like “ No! No! I want a happy environment.” He assured
> me the kids needed a place to reflect and process. I fought it to the other
> parents present for the first half hour. And then... God took over. The
> kids went to the prayer table. They cried. The Younglife leaders stepped in
> and prayed with them. The FCA big guy told them it was going to be ok. The
> Pastor from The Avenue told them it would be ok. Several area youth pastors
> were on hand. So many of those young people told me it was exactly what
> they needed. I had questioned God and he showed me what they needed
> regardless of my protest. Tuesday morning the kids go to school and find
> out, in not these exact words, they can’t celebrate their friend because
> that is glorifying suicide. What?!?! Teachers, counselors and
> administrators go to hours of training in this subject. I respect that. I
> respect them. Many of them are very close friends. It was a little too late
> because we had already ordered stickers in Hayden’s memory and they were
> donated in the name of prayer to Morristown East. Hmmmm..,wonder who
> facilitated that? 🙏🏼 These kids were we so eager to honor their friend.
> They just wanted to openly grieve. Friday night we arrived at Gibbs High
> School and the whole place was in tribute to Hayden, 🤔 Another parent
> bought the team green socks (Hayden’s favorite color). Really? They came up
> with 65 pairs of green socks in a day? Yep! They sure did! 🤔The boys were
> ecstatic to honor their teammate. On Saturday the team lined up to say
> goodbye. God gave Hayden’s dad the strength to stand at the open casket
> with each boy until they were ok. They all left there with a sense of peace
> and closure. Lastly due to Hayden’s giving loving nature, 4 lives were
> saved with his organ donation. Friends if you don’t think God was all in
> this situation, I feel sorry for you. The kids are organizing a 5k with the
> money going to teen suicide prevention. They want to start a schedule where
> each day they do something to acknowledge someone they don’t know. I don’t
> know why this happened but I know Hayden’s friends, with guidance from God
> are determined to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
>