Featured Cherub of the week is Carson Ray Elliott, son to Brent and Brianna and little brother to Carter. The following was written by Carson’s Uncle Matthew, “At 4 am on April 5th, 2016 Carson Ray Elliott was born. He was born to two loving parents. Like any other baby, he was born with ten toes, ten fingers, eyebrows, eyelashes, and a head full of hair. However, he was not born with a full diaphragm, a condition known as CDH. Because of this, his liver and stomach came to rest in his chest. His lungs had no room to grow, and they never grew as large as he needed them to be. Carson was born with a healthy brain. He was also born with blue eyes. With those blue eyes, he looked at his dad and his big brother. He was born with tiny hands which he used to grasp his mom’s fingers. He was born with ears which he listened to classic rock songs that were played through his pawpaw’s smartphone. Unfortunately, Carson was trapped in a defective body. He never got to leave the rooms of the hospital, but he lived nonetheless. A life is that hyphen between the date of your birth and death that they put on your tombstone. Carson’s tombstone has a hyphen that separates only twenty-six days. Later people may look at that short time and think that he was not given a chance to live. But, they will be mistaken. Life is not measured by time, it is measured by the impact it makes. Carson impacted the lives of many people. Over a thousand people watched from social media as Carson fought for his life. Over a thousand people prayed for him daily. His battle caused them to reflect on their own lives and to appreciate the many blessings they have. His life reminded them how precious life is. A life is also measured by love. Carson was dearly loved by his family who felt immense joy by his birth, and with his passing felt a great sense of loss and pain. Many may wonder how God could allow someone so young to die. But, God’s ways are beyond our own understanding. All we know is this life and this world, both of which are temporary. There is a life beyond this one. In that life there are no tears or sorrow. There is no pain or suffering. Although Carson’s loss was painful to us, nothing was taken from him by death other than a mortal life. He now lives eternally with God. In this we should find comfort and peace, and trust that the Lord sees fit in what we do not yet understand. By his death and through Christ, Carson departed the broken vessel that was his body and joined his heavenly father with a new, perfect body. His first full breath was in heaven.”
Brianna has made this video to share with us Carson’s journey with CDH. We appreciate her taking the time to share her son with us.
