How you can help
Join the collective strength and generosity of our community to help in any way you can. As their situation evolves, we will post needs here. Please check back periodically.
Prayer:
From Matt and Katie: We believe with all our hearts in the power of prayer and in the value of reaching out to God for His grace, mercy, and goodness to see us through this journey of heartbreak and anguish we find ourselves the midst of. Please pray for sweet times together for our family, with our extended family, and in our friendships. Pray for incredible days for Ben because he is, after all, an 8 year-old boy who still wants to run and jump and play. Pray for his comfort and peace for he too is on a path that is unimaginable and taking everything from his beautiful life. Pray for moments, pray for Ben's quality of life, pray for his life to be extended, pray for a miracle. We covet any and all of your prayers, every minute of every day.
Encouragement & Stories:
Let’s create a virtual scrapbook! Have pictures? Post them. What do you love about Ben? Let’s hear it! Words of encouragement? Matt & Katie would love to hear from everyone. Use the Guest Post.
Help With Food:
We’d like to make the day-to-day easier on the family by helping with the daily tasks so Matt and Katie can spend as much time as they can with Ben and Luke. Provide a gift card to Brewers Cabinet, Eclipse Pizza, Bangkok Cuisine, Bab, Sup, Greatful Gardens, Laughing Planet or Jus - that is also very helpful!
Dietary restrictions are limiting broad involvement in meal delivery.
Financial Support:
As the duration of this journey is unknown, the medical and related expenses will likely be significant. We would like to raise enough funds to cover their living expenses for this calendar year. Certainly all of our situations are different, so please know that every little bit helps. Thank you in advance for your generosity! Click here to donate!
Initial discussions of a fundraiser are in the works. We’ll keep everyone updated as it starts to take shape.
Matt and Katie want to be completely transparent in communicating that any money remaining will be donated to an organization (yet to be determined) working to find viable treatments for rare genetic diseases like X-Linked ALD.
Stay in Touch:
Please sign up for email notifications to keep up-to-date on the journey. Send encouraging cards and letters to 2161 Westfield
Reno, NV 89509.
Comments (11)
I am praying for you and your beautiful son. ❤️
Reading this news yesterday evening simply took my breath away, Katie. Being a mom to three, one of which was one of your students and recently this year a grandmother, I have no words. As I held Virgie rocking him to sleep, my thoughts were raw and the words that did come forward can't be posted here. I was flooded with my memories of you at Damonte, our conversations, collaborations, meeting Ben for the first time when you stopped by to visit. Losing track of where you went afterward...I believe the last time I saw you we were in a coffee shop when you and your family, now with Luke who was old enough to be skiing, as you all were dressed for that, were there getting coffee and hot chocolate. I remembered how very polite the boys were, albeit, a little impatient. Rest assured you and your family will be in my thoughts and prayers. I will share this site on my FB page and verbally share to those who don't do FB. Love, Michelle
With major respect to all of Sasha's amazing buddies, Ben is my personal favorite. His super smile and unbelievably loving eyes are the best welcome that I got at the Awesomely Awesome Playa Adventure this year. My fingers are always crossed for another play date with Ben. I've only prayed once. Last night I prayed again and I'll keep praying. Brook Igleheart, Sasha's dad
Rad....keep praying! thanks
Thinking of you a lot. Please let me know if I can pick up Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, anything else from that part of town on my way home, do a Costco run, pick up pizza, etc. We are not that far away from you! Hugs, hugs, and more hugs.
Love and support from the Mares family. My heart broke in a million pieces when I heard this news. I (we)are thinking of you daily and each evening we are praying for strength and hope and all of the above for Ben and your family. Please know that and feel that from our family to yours. With lots of love and support, Mery and Richard, Mateo, Soraya, and Elena
Hello, Katie and Matt, I just seen this for the first time. My heart breaks for your family and little Ben. I love your family and have had a special place in my heart for Ben since the day I met him at Sunday School. I am a believer in prayer and know with my whole heart that God is with you and hears and answers our prayers. I will make a conscious effort to pray everyday for Ben and your family. I send my love, Mindy
My prayers and heart are with you as you journey down this road. Thank you for setting up this site so we can stay in touch with how life is going for each of you. Lots of hugs and love, Cathy
Matt and Katie, I am just catching up on this news. I can’t imagine what you are all going through - please know that we are sending you all of our love from Boise. The openness to your community is so appreciated, and the love and support you are centering around, with such focus on giving Ben the best you all have, is humbling. What an amazing family you are. I wish we could be there in person to let you know how much we are thinking of you. Much much love from Helen and Frank
What a stud you are Ben! I loved watching you ski in your video. We had no idea you are that good! Tim and I are so impressed. So glad Mt Rose stayed open a little longer with all the great snow. Good news is, when the snow melts it’s time to kayak. Tim would love to take you out kayaking in our tandem kayak when you’re ready! We love you. And by the way that Spike sure is the cutest! I’d love to meet him💕 hugs, Tim and Martine
My husband Zee and son Zee had the pleasure of meeting Ben today on their adventure to California. My husband texted me Ben’s post hope page and I was given the opportunity to read about the Anderson Family. Never meeting the family or Ben, I felt a sense of closeness. The more I read, I could feel the family’s, fears, sorrows, gratefulness, Hopefulness, Godlyness and love for their family and friends. I have also been blessed with two beautiful boys, who everyday I thank God for allowing me, to be their mother. As a mother or parent our ultimate goal is to ensure that our children our happy and to teach them to be humble. Thank you Matt and Kate for sharing your post and givin my son Zee, the opportunity to be Ben’s friend. Even if it’s only for a day, your son will touch my son’s life forever. Kara Zamora