Disclosure: I participated in a campaign on behalf of
for
. I received a promotional item as a thank you for participating.

On September 24th 2011, my cousin and his wife were involved in a horrible motorcycle accident that has not only changed their lives forever, but also the lives of their little girls.

You can read the initial blog post I did
, but short story is that while riding with friends in Wisconsin, the motorcycle caught the edge of the road which was being constructed or newly paved. Joe (my cousin) lost control, went into a ditch and both my cousin and his wife were ejected off of the motorcycle.

Carrie (my cousin’s wife) had internal bleeding and has spinal and back injuries that she still deals with today – nearly 2 years later (she continues to have pain, difficulty walking, difficult standing, etc.) Joe had several broken bones that took a lot of time, surgery and healing. Both of them spent a lot of time in the hospital, away from their three little girls during this horrible ordeal. Even when they were released to home, Carrie has continued, constant visits to doctors, hospitals, etc.

Family stayed with them to help them get back into a routine and care for their little girls. For a long time, their little girls slept in their bedroom, afraid something may happen to their parents again. It has been a tragedy for the entire family to go through. It has been a long road for them. And I’ve been able to keep up to date with their recovery through CaringBridge.org.

In fact, through
, I was alerted the other day that Carrie was being readmitted to the hospital/rehab facility to have some tests ran because she has been having issues with her breathing as well as her blood pressure.

Prior to my cousin’s motorcycle accident, I had never heard of CaringBridge, but I am so thankful to have found it now. Living 1700 miles away from family is hard and not being there was difficult, but through CaringBridge, I have been able to keep up with their progress from a long distance.

In addition to my cousin and his wife, my family has used CaringBridge.org when my great aunt took a fall and ended up hospitalized and in rehab. My stepbrother and his wife keep us posted on the status of their little girl who continues to have health scares.

For me, CaringBridge.org has been a lifeline between me and my family. While we do not live near, I can keep posted through what they share via CaringBridge.org and it is sent directly to my email when it is updated.

About CaringBridge.org:

For more than 15 years, the nonprofit CaringBridge has served as a lifeline of hope, bringing together families struggling with illnesses and tragedies. Sona Mehring, the founder of CaringBridge wants to share these important collections of stories to inspire hope through her new book, Hope Conquers All. Ranging from young children with cancer, to adults awaiting transplants, these first-person accounts share the importance CaringBridge had in their personal journeys. For uplifting tales to share with those who are in need of love and support, or even to just reflect on how brave these individuals were through such troubled times, learn more about Sona Mehring’s book and how to purchase

(All proceeds will go to CaringBridge.)

I personally am extremely thankful for CaringBridge.org!