Joshua's Journey has Ended

Patrice Julia, and I would like to say Thank you from the bottom of our hearts to all of you for your prayers, kind words, and your love.  It is with our deepest sympathy that our handsome, caring, loving, and smiling little baby boy went home to be with the Lord.  The recorded time of sunset was at 12:25am this morning. 

Joshua had a terrible genetic disease Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) the number one killer of babies under 24-month old, www.jojosmalife.com.  While the disease took his motor skills it never took his mind, smile, joy, personality, or his love for the world.  Joshua was confined to a bed and a wheel chair but we know it was because we decided to let him go everywhere we went that kept his spirits and his mind focus along with God’s love.  We took Joshua to the Jacksonville Zoo, Sea World, the Florida Aquarium, and he was schedule to go to Disney this very weekend for the very first time as a birthday present.  His birthday was on June 10^th but because he could not regulate his body temperature we were waiting until it was cool to take him.  

Last evening Patrice, Julia and I made the decision to donate Joshua’s organ, so that some child somewhere will no longer have to fight for life the way Joshua did for his entire life.

I would like to first thank God and each and every one of you that is praying for us.  We love you and appreciate it very much. 

To Dr. Schuler, Lossius, Parker, Collins, Carney, Nackashi, Islam, Nurse Alex and Nurse Wei, thank you all for working so hard to make Joshua’s life here on earth a comforting one. 

To Nurse Laura Ohrt, for the last four years of his life you were there every step of the way teaching us the best way to take care of Joshua.  Joshua responded to you more that any other nurse that came into our home and we love you and we thank you. 

To Shands (PICU) floor, PPEC, Pediatric Health Choice, CMS (Jane Williams for always advocating for our family), EQ Health Solutions, KePro, MV Transport, the PIC program, Kelly Loveall from DCF, and Maxim and all his nurses that came to our home, thank you for ensuring that our son was taken care of on a daily basis. 

To the Star Foundation in Jacksonville for the van to transport Joshua, Concern Christians for the Community for helping us to build a ram to our front door so that Joshua could easily go in and out of our home. 

My colleagues at work both when Joshua was born and today all I can say is WOW!!!!! We love you guys. Karen Fiore from before he was born all the gifts you gave him, researching SMA and registering us with the Families of SMA. Taking me to the hospital when I got the call on Thursday and staying with us. And for picking up Julia from school and brining Julia and my mother-in-law to the hospital Thank you. 

To the Church family Evangelist Anntwanique Edwards, District Missionary Vivian Oliver, Superintendent Elton Oliver, Missionary Beryl Brown and his Godparents Carla, Khanya, Trudi-Ann, Todd and Ed thank you for caring for our son like he was your own. 

To UF Health at Shands PICU floor.  I know doctors are knocked all the time for their soft skills, but I will praise you for the rest of my life for making these last days of my son’s life so wonderful.  

Nurse Stephanie Oliveria aka “Taylor Swift” such grace, Nurse Katie Haney you are just starting your journey but you will do a wonderful job.  Nurse Stuart Hastings words cannot explain just how wonderful you were these last two days taking care of our son we Love you for all you did for him and us in this journey.  The Respiratory Therapist Erica Ezell for taking care of him and working with Bequita Gaines to make sure we had his hand and foot print. 

Nurse Julie Wheeler you took care of Joshua when he was first diagnose and even though last night he was not your patient you made sure we had everything we needed before we left that floor this morning.  Nurse Reisha Brown you we there to the very end making sure we were ok and that Joshua was well taken care of last night. 

Dr. Alan Thianchai Bunnalai for working so hard to resuscitate Joshua and for walking us through the entire process from beginning to end these last few days.  You are a GEM sir. 

To Dr. Chirstian Kegg and Dr. Alan Mannheimer you ran that last brain activity test by explaining every step of the process with us. 

To my Mother-In-Law who drove from Orlando every other weekend to help us take care of Joshua we love you.

To our entire family members thank you for everything. 

I will close with I love you Jesus, I will worship and Adore you.  I just want to tell you that I love you more that anything.

Joshua Joel Fletcher taught us to love unconditionally, and to give thanks for what we have, not to dwell on what we cannot change or control. It is with this insight we move forward.

THANK YOU ALLL VERY MUCH WE LOVE YOU AND WE APPRECIATE YOU.  GOD BLESS.