Prayers for my boyfriend?

[Former Member]

Hi guys! Long time no see. I hate to come back just to be a huge Debbie Downer, but I need to get this out.

My boyfriend James and his brother Michael were victims of arson Thursday morning. Some monster(s) set their apartment building on fire and they were trapped on the top floor. I was on the phone with James when it happened. Every time I try to sleep, I hear them panicking, struggling, I hear myself screaming at James to keep his head low and tell me what's happening, I hear the phone hit the floor and go dead. It plays on repeat every time I find myself unoccupied. I can't get it out of my head.

When the officials found them, James wasn't breathing and Michael didn't even have a pulse. They revived them and sent them to the hospital. Michael had no brain activity and kept going into cardiac arrest. He passed away yesterday morning. James is still fighting. His lungs were badly burned and he is currently in a drug-induced coma and on a ventilator. When he wakes up (not "if", as I keep telling myself) I know he will never forgive himself for being the one that survived. I don't know what I'm going to say to him, what I could possibly ever do for him to ease the pain of losing someone so dear to him. I don't think there's anything I can do except love and pray, but that just doesn't feel like enough.

Since James doesn't have any medical insurance, his family and friends put together a support fund here. I'm not asking you guys to give your hard-earned money to a complete stranger, but if you could share it on Facebook/Twitter I would really appreciate it. It's a couple clicks, a couple seconds of your day, and it would mean the world to me. James is such a wonderful guy and he has lost about everything; all his possessions, his place of living, his brother. He never asks for anything from anyone. Last month he badgered me into taking money from him so I could feed my daughter and told me he'd never forgive me if I paid him back.

If you can't donate or share and believe in the power of prayer, I ask that you think of James next time you pray.

Thanks for listening, even if you didn't/couldn't donate, share, or pray for him. It's just a weight I've been carrying around for two of the longest days I've ever endured. It feels nice talking about it.

[coolcoolcool]

He will be in my thoughts. Sending as many good vibes as I can Chani.

[Graham]

I'll be thinking of you both. Stay strong for him.

[Joilet]

Sept 20, 2014 9:31:38 GMT -8 @kipp said:

Hi guys! Long time no see. I hate to come back just to be a huge Debbie Downer, but I need to get this out.

My boyfriend James and his brother Michael were victims of arson Thursday morning. Some monster(s) set their apartment building on fire and they were trapped on the top floor. I was on the phone with James when it happened. Every time I try to sleep, I hear them panicking, struggling, I hear myself screaming at James to keep his head low and tell me what's happening, I hear the phone hit the floor and go dead. It plays on repeat every time I find myself unoccupied. I can't get it out of my head.

When the officials found them, James wasn't breathing and Michael didn't even have a pulse. They revived them and sent them to the hospital. Michael had no brain activity and kept going into cardiac arrest. He passed away yesterday morning. James is still fighting. His lungs were badly burned and he is currently in a drug-induced coma and on a ventilator. When he wakes up (not "if", as I keep telling myself) I know he will never forgive himself for being the one that survived. I don't know what I'm going to say to him, what I could possibly ever do for him to ease the pain of losing someone so dear to him. I don't think there's anything I can do except love and pray, but that just doesn't feel like enough.

Since James doesn't have any medical insurance, his family and friends put together a support fund here. I'm not asking you guys to give your hard-earned money to a complete stranger, but if you could share it on Facebook/Twitter I would really appreciate it. It's a couple clicks, a couple seconds of your day, and it would mean the world to me. James is such a wonderful guy and he has lost about everything; all his possessions, his place of living, his brother. He never asks for anything from anyone. Last month he badgered me into taking money from him so I could feed my daughter and told me he'd never forgive me if I paid him back.

If you can't donate or share and believe in the power of prayer, I ask that you think of James next time you pray.

Thanks for listening, even if you didn't/couldn't donate, share, or pray for him. It's just a weight I've been carrying around for two of the longest days I've ever endured. It feels nice talking about it.

I will pray for him. Also I will make sure the donation needs gets noticed.

[Jaguar]

So very sorry, prayers sent.

[Teddybear8]

Sending positive thoughts. Try to stay strong

[mmhmm]

Chani, I'm so very sorry. I can never seem to find the right words in cases like this. Of course, I'll help to spread the word, and will keep you, James, and all who love him in my thoughts.

[Former Member]

Thanks so much for your words, guys. I just received a call from his sister. James was apparently having a lot of trouble breathing, but they put him on heavier antibiotics and pain medication and he seems to be doing fine now. I hate this stupid waiting game, I really do. I just want to go to sleep for a week and wake up with him. I feel so selfish complaining about my situation, because everything I'm going through is nothing compared to what he's going through, what he will go through when he wakes up and finds out that Michael is gone forever. I'm worried out of my mind.

[mmhmm]

It will be okay, Chani. It will be difficult, and sad, but it will be okay. Time heals, and James is in the best place to receive the help he needs. Just hang in there, keep praying, and stay strong for him. He's going to need your love and your strength.

[Former Member]

So sorry, my thoughts are with you both.

[Sassy]

Oh my goodness .. I'm so sorry for your boyfriend. I do hope he pulls through this, with no side effects from his injuries. My heart goes out to you and to his friends family.

[Former Member]

Thanks so much, everyone! His donation page has 327 shares so far between Facebook and Twitter. I posted it on the forums for a game we play as well. I'm not very active on the forums but he is, so hopefully he can get some support there.

Someone posted a message on his donation page about an hour ago that really disturbed me: "James was a really good friend of mine, and he will always hold a special place in my heart. If I could donate more, I would." I thought for a second that something horrible had happened and I hadn't been informed, since she states she's a really close friend, but then I realized I've never heard her name before. I hope she's just getting confused by all the statuses about Michael passing away. I'm refusing to give it much thought until I hear back from Justine.

Most of the time, I really believe he's going to be just fine, because I can't bear to think otherwise. I'm gonna be okay as long as he is. :) I'm going to talk to detectives tomorrow, since I was on the phone with James when it all went down. I don't think I'll be able to help all that much, but you never know. I just want the monster(s) that did this to be found and persecuted.

[Sonikku1011]

Whoa I very sorry for what you've been going through, prayers sent your way. This is horrible and I really hope they find the idiot who did this.

[Ameline]

Sept 20, 2014 9:31:38 GMT -8 @kipp said:

Hi guys! Long time no see. I hate to come back just to be a huge Debbie Downer, but I need to get this out.

My boyfriend James and his brother Michael were victims of arson Thursday morning. Some monster(s) set their apartment building on fire and they were trapped on the top floor. I was on the phone with James when it happened. Every time I try to sleep, I hear them panicking, struggling, I hear myself screaming at James to keep his head low and tell me what's happening, I hear the phone hit the floor and go dead. It plays on repeat every time I find myself unoccupied. I can't get it out of my head.

When the officials found them, James wasn't breathing and Michael didn't even have a pulse. They revived them and sent them to the hospital. Michael had no brain activity and kept going into cardiac arrest. He passed away yesterday morning. James is still fighting. His lungs were badly burned and he is currently in a drug-induced coma and on a ventilator. When he wakes up (not "if", as I keep telling myself) I know he will never forgive himself for being the one that survived. I don't know what I'm going to say to him, what I could possibly ever do for him to ease the pain of losing someone so dear to him. I don't think there's anything I can do except love and pray, but that just doesn't feel like enough.

Since James doesn't have any medical insurance, his family and friends put together a support fund here. I'm not asking you guys to give your hard-earned money to a complete stranger, but if you could share it on Facebook/Twitter I would really appreciate it. It's a couple clicks, a couple seconds of your day, and it would mean the world to me. James is such a wonderful guy and he has lost about everything; all his possessions, his place of living, his brother. He never asks for anything from anyone. Last month he badgered me into taking money from him so I could feed my daughter and told me he'd never forgive me if I paid him back.

If you can't donate or share and believe in the power of prayer, I ask that you think of James next time you pray.

Thanks for listening, even if you didn't/couldn't donate, share, or pray for him. It's just a weight I've been carrying around for two of the longest days I've ever endured. It feels nice talking about it.

WTF?! Where did this come from? How did somebody get an idea to burn a building with people still in it.

I'm saddened to hear this.

[Former Member]

I don't know who did it or why. It's somehow worse knowing that someone did this on purpose, that it wasn't just someone leaving their stove on or dropping a lit cigarette or having a faulty electrical outlet. It makes me sick to my stomach. After the phone went dead, I didn't even let myself worry that much. I wouldn't accept that things like this happened outside of the movies or video games or books. I didn't want to think something like that actually happened, especially not to someone I knew, least of all to someone I loved. It made reality that much harder to confront. I'll submit now that worrying a little does help, but all things in moderation...

The only way I can fit this in my head is if I assume the person who did this is not human, but a monster. Someone who doesn't have a capacity for humanity or emotions, who has never known love and thus could never comprehend the damage he/she has done. I'm trying to dig deep and feel sorry for them, but it's too soon. It might always be too soon.