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Date
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June 1,
2004 |
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Name
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Beckie
Salyers |
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Email
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ckcls84@aol.com |
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Home Page
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City
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Proctorville |
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Ohio
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US
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My 13yr.
old son and I read this together and cried together. You are in our
prayers. I had the pleasure of working with families like yours at CHH
for many years but have recently switched to another department. I miss
caring for families like yours very much but i am a much better person
and nurse because of it.
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Bens
family, I somehow stumbled on this website and it has touched my life so
much. Our family is originally from West Virginia, matter of fact my
Husband graduated from Marshall. We will keep Ben in our prayers. Our
story is quite different we have a daughter who does not have cancer,
but had a very very rare brain abnormality that affected the whole right
side of her brain. She started with seizures at 6 weeks of life and they
were controlled well until she was 4 then our life changed and we were
sent on a roller coaster ride to save her life. Last year just before
her 5th birthday she underwent a Functional Hemispherectomy(this
involved disconnecting the whole right side of her brain and removing
3/4 of the right brain. I will pray for your precious Ben, God Bless you
and give him precious kisses and hugs from my Katie if she could hold
him he would recieve so much love from her she just loves little ones.
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Date
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June 2,
2004 |
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Name
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Katie
Kinder |
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Ps. 28:7
The Lord is my strength and my sheild; my heart trusts in him, and I am
helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.
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What a
powerful testimony your story is! I will be praying for Ben and your
family and I will have my church pray as well. It's a special gift when
people can take a tragedy and use it to bless others! You've given that
gift to many, many people through this website. May God continue to
bless you and your family as you go through this extremely difficult
time. "If God brings you to it - He'll bring you through it!" I've been
looking for an outreach project and you've just help me find it - The
Ronald McDonald House. Your courage and faith are an inspiration. You'll
be in my prayers!
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Date
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June 2,
2004 |
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Name
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Mary
Ellen Black |
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Email
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megsraae@aol.com
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Home Page
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City
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Barboursville |
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State
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WV
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USA
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6/2/04 >
Just read the update from 6/1 and am so excited to think that you might
get to come home for a few days. What a blessing for you all! We are
praying (and believing) that Ben's counts will stay at a safe level for
traveling ... 'one day at a time' -- Mary Ellen
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Date
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June 2,
2004 |
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Name
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JoeLene
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Email
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Artgrl03@hotmail.com
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Home Page
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City
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Charleston |
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WV
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Hi Ben
and Family We are from Charleston WV. My name is JoeLene and my son,
Adam, at age 18, was diagnosed with stage 4 Hodgkins Lymphoma in Oct
2002 at the beginning of his senior year. Although many told us that
Hodgkins is the best cured cancer, this has not proven true for Adam.
http://www.capitalhigh.org/ne_adam.html if this come through, it is a
story ran on Adam last May 2003. As I read your website I could
definitly relate to your fears, struggles, but most importantly your
faith in this extremely hard time. Many do not realize that once your
child is diagnosed with a life threating disorder, your entire life is
flip flopped. Bills pile up, doctor appointments are endless and
emotions run high. Prayers are what sees us through each day. Although
my son is much older than Ben, I could relate to the words of Ben's
Song. I have asked many times to allow me to carry this, not him. I have
held his hand as chemo entered his body praying that he did not know how
afraid I was. Please, to everyone reading this... I
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Date
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June 2,
2004 |
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Name
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JoeLene
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Artgrl03@hotmail.com
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charleston |
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Hi again
The end of my message didn't make it. I wanted you to know of a support
group, founded by a family whose little girl, Cassidy, was diagnosed
with Wilm's tumor. Cassidy is now doing great and wanted to have a way
to help other kids facing the same stuff she did. The group meets every
month the 3rd friday, the next being June 18. The entire family is
welcome. I attend and I work art projects with the children. It is a
wonderful source of fellowship with others in our area facing the same
fears and sharing the fun times. You can contact Cassidy's Kids Inc at
www.cassidyskids.org We would love to see you there. We keep it as germ
free as possible and no one attends if they have the slightess chance of
a cold. This way family's feel free to attend without worry. We just had
a little fellow, 3 years old, diagnosed with a brain tumor just 2 months
ago. He would love to have Ben and his brother to hang out with. Please
think of attending when you can... JoeLene
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The song
by Mark Shultz is so touching. It's one of my favorites. It reminds me
of Mary when she had to watch her son be put on the cross. Just like
her, I know that your heart is hurting for your son. I will pray for
comfort for you as you endure this next step of chemo. I pray for God's
grace for Big Ben as he embarks on this next journey of treatment. God
Bless you all!!! Angela
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I am so
sorry to hear that the VP - 16 is causing Ben's counts to go so low and
I am also sorry that you all won't be able to make your trip. That is
the same oral med that Michael took and I think that it did the same
thing to him, but we would just stop for a while and then take it again.
For course I am just going from memory. I'll say a prayer for Ben and
his counts - I know how important they are. Take care, Christina
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I read
about your story in Ashland, KY. I can't say that I know exactly what
you are going through, but I can say that I can understand to some
extent. My son is 19 months old and was born with Spina Bifida. I was
one of those people who thought that nothing like that could happen to
me. Well, it did. My husband and I were devastated and we felt as though
our world was crumbling down arond us. The feelings of denial, guilt and
anger are so overwhelming. It consumes every minute of everyday.
Everyone tells me that God won't give you any more than you can handle.
I truly believe this, but it is very difficult to endure at times. I
stopped asking why this happened to us a long time ago and I have
accepted the fact that God gave us this precious little boy and he felt
as though we would take care of him and love him unconditionally. We
can't imagine our life without him. I can see that you and your family
feel the same way. My prayers go out to you and little Ben. Hopefully,
you can soon look back at this as being a bad dream and you w
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Date
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June 2,
2004 |
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Name
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Becky
Whittington |
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I hate
that you weren't able to come home. I know you were looking forward to
it. More importantly we got to pray for Ben and that his numbers come up
so he can get treated. I pray for better test results and peace for you
all. Hiccups in the road make up stronger and test our faith. Still
believing.. Praying and more praying.
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Date
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June 2,
2004 |
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Name
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Kim Croft
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Email
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Dandd4us@aol.com
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Home Page
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City
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Humble
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State
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TX
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Still
believing. Wishing you had better news but God is with you. We continue
to keep you in oour thoughts and prayers. Love, The Croft's
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I won't
take much of your time, but I just wanted to say that I am so sorry to
hear about the problems Ben is having with the meds. I know it must be
devastating to have one more burden to bear, but even though I don't
know you guys personally, something tells me your faith will prevail.
Please let me know if there is anything(besides pray) that i can do to
soften your burden. i know that even though our Avon Fr is over, there
is still such a need for help and prayers. If we need to do it again to
ease the financial pain as much as possible, i have already told Janet
we can do that whenever necessary. Keep the faith and God be with you
all, Marian Kirk
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Date
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June 3,
2004 |
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Name
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Katie
Kinder |
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Ps.
26:3-4 You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast,
because he trusts in you. 4.Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the
Lord, is the Rock eternal.
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I just
learned of Ben's site through our friend's the Hentz's. We have been
prayer warriors for them and know that you are with them at Target House
supporting them on your journey. I listened to the song on your web page
"He's My Son" and had to fight back the tears. My 7 year old came in
when he heard the music and sat on my lap. It's stories like your's that
makes us "outsiders" better parent's. My heart goes out to you and Ben.
I visit about 10 Caringbridge children fighting this battle called
cancer. I do feel like a better person for it and because of them. I
believe in God and the power of prayer. He has a plan for all of us. My
hope is for Ben to live comfortably and pain free. My thanks is to you
for sharing your story and making me a more compassionate Mom and
person. Sincerely, Lisa Schwartz
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Date
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June 3,
2004 |
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Name
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Sara Owen
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Email
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SOwen@deltadepot.net
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Home Page
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City
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West
Memphis |
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State
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AR
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USA
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I will
keep Ben and your family in my prayers. I'm sorry you all have to go
through this but remember that God will not give you anything you can't
handle and he is always there for you. Just stay strong.
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Date
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June 3,
2004 |
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Name
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Dianna
Cupples |
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Email
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Home Page
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City
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Proctor
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State
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Arkansas
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USA
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Comments
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My
prayers are with you all.
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I enjoy
reading all of Ben's updates and seeing his smiling face in clinic. It
is such a blessing to see how strong your faith remains and your
wonderful ability to pass it along to other families. Ben and your
family remain in my prayers!
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I will
keep you in my thoughts and prayers.
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Date
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June 3,
2004 |
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Name
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Linda
Bryant |
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Email
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mbryant828@aol.com
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Home Page
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City
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King
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State
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NC
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Country
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Stokes
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I have a
friend whose son was diagnosed with leukemia when he was almost two
years of age. What can God do - heal with the Doctor's loving hands. He
is going to be starting kindergarten this fall. Running like a 5 year
old should. It was one of the miracles that I have seen in a small
child's life. God is indeed real - and still heals - keep the faith.
Noah went through hospital stays - rushing to emergency and all - but
now he is in remission. What a blessing. Am getting ready to read about
your son. God Bless and Keep you with a peace that you can have through
out this ordeal. Linda Hesson Bryant
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Date
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June 3,
2004 |
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Name
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mike
goddard |
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Email
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gooddealdave@msn.com
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Home Page
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City
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auburn
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State
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me
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usa
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Comments
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hi tom
and jennifer, karley is doing about the same . she hase'nt really
recovered from the surgery 14 days ago. she's lost alot of weight.
constant vomitting, were hoping she shows signs of feeling better soon.
i guess she going to the dana farber institute in boston as soon as she
starts eating well and stops vommiting. I read ben's counts are not
doing well,I do hope that changes for him. its been a honor to get to
know you folks and i pray for little ben everyday.
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Date
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June 3,
2004 |
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Name
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Lisa
Maynard |
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Email
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Mtdwlvwr@aol.com
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Home Page
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City
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Chesapeake |
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State
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Ohio
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USA
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Comments
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Tom,
Jennifer, Eli and Ben, So sorry to hear about Ben's counts. I have said
a extra prayer for him. There isn't a day that goes by that you all
aren't in my thought and Prayers along with all your St. Jude friends.
God Bless you all, Love you guys, Lisa
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Date
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June 3,
2004 |
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Name
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Joyce
Abbott |
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Email
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jabbott@ngkmfg.com
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Home Page
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City
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Cross
Lanes |
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State
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WV
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Date
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June 3,
2004 |
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Name
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Joyce
Abbott |
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Email
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jabbott@ngkmfg.com
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Home Page
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City
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Cross
Lanes |
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State
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WV
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Kanawha
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Comments
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Ben, you
have touched many lives so this makes you a very special little boy!
Thoughts and prayers be with you and also with your family. Love and
prayers.
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