Part of the BYU Middle Line Backer Squad of the football team came to visit Van in the Hospital today. They presented him with a BYU football signed by every member of the team (even Bronco Mendenall). They are great guys—returned missionaries full of the spirit. It was a highlight of the year! Van explained to them why he is such a big fan. One of the players wrote this note to us on his way out, “Thank you so much for letting us visit you. Thank you for the kind words you shared with us to always put God first and to not think too highly of ourselves, but to think highly of God. We noticed the spirit in your eyes and that God is with you and within you. You have a strong marriage and a beautiful family. Thanks for the example. I’ll never forget it, for the rest of my life.” That’s how we feel – we’ll never forget it, for the rest of our lives either.
The BYU Football Players presented Van with a football signed by the entire team!
Shane Hunter, Thomas Steele, Uona Kaveinga, Aveni Leug-wai, Austen Jorgensen, Devin Mahina
with Van Heder
Van walked them out to the elevators
Van is now home for the next week until we go in for another round of Chemo March 1st. He will go in twice this week to check his blood levels. Right now they are at the very lowest and today he received two units of blood to keep him going for a few more days.
Thanks so much to Coach Tidwell and his efforts to build such good strong young men that live the gospel.
I bet that knocked the RED SOCKS off all the Ute fans there! What a GREAT surprise for Van! And so wonderful that he is home!!!
ReplyDeleteAWESOME!!! It's times like these when you get the opportunity to see people at their very best! I bet that was a lot of fun.
ReplyDeleteMichelle Osborn Keller
How cool is that!?! I'm so glad they were able to come. I'll bet it made his week.
ReplyDeleteHi Van and Wendy,
ReplyDeleteThat's a pretty cool visit you received from the Linebacker's, one of them (Tom Steele) is a close family friend and he's such a great kid. He came home from his mission at the beginning of January, before he got released he took his brother with him to BYU and registered for school and started the same day. That's the type of kid he is, he walked on to the team as a Freshman and hopefully they will give him a scholarship at some point.
Take Care and your in our prayers,
Leonard Suprise
WOO HOO--"HOME AT LAST--THANK THE LORD ALMIGHTY, YOU ARE HOME AT LAST!!!"
ReplyDeleteI love the pictures of the linebackers--it's VERY obvious that their visit gave you quite a lift: congratulations on meriting their personal time and attention--you surely do and always will.
Love you,
Libby