Tyson Hugh Hooper

Tyson Hugh Hooper
Our son, Tyson Hugh Hooper, was born with coarctation of the aorta, hypoplastic arch, and a transitional avsd. His first open heart surgery reconstructed his aorta and was on day 9 of life. His second open heart repair was not anticipated to be needed until two or three years of age. Ty had other plans. We spent the vast majority of his first 3 months of life at Vanderbilt as he went into heart failure and was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension. As a result, the medical team concluded that he needed the repair much sooner than usually recommended, and at just shy of 3 months old Ty underwent his second life saving open heart surgery. God has already worked so many miracles in Ty's life and the life of our family and we know he is using our story. Because of this, we are grateful for Ty's special heart and feel beyond blessed that God chose us to travel this road. We ask for prayers as Ty continues to heal. We are praying for a full recovery and life without restrictions for Ty. We are praying for God to use our family and Ty for His glory.

Thank you to each and every person who supports us through prayer, giving, or just by loving on our family! We are humbled and blessed by all of the ways the Lord is providing for us and know that he is using Ty and his story to do great things!

Saturday, April 11, 2009

Twister...


I (along with so many others) survived this yesterday! It's the closest I have ever been to a tornado. I was at Newks eating lunch with Moo, Web, Chris, Lily, and Donnie. I had not even seen the news and it really looked like a nice day. It started to sprinkle when I got to Newks and placed my order and by the time we all sat down it started getting pretty stormy. The manager started to get his employees in the back of the kitchen and the customers in the bathroom at the back of the restaurant and there we stood in the bathroom and waited.

There have been a few times I have had to do this (not in public). I love storms and they do not scare me unless they are extremely severe, but since moving to Middle Tennessee I have spent more than one storm hunkered in my bathroom because the weather was that bad and funnel clouds were around. As scary as these previous experiences with large hail and close calls have been, I have always emerged to minimal damage. I never would have imagined that this time would be different, but it was. As we emerged from the bathroom, cell phone calls and reception were impossible. Power was out. We turned on a radio and heard the first reports come in of flattened homes, overturned cars, and multiple tornadoes.

After the sky cleared we packed up and left. It took me 2 hours to travel the normally 5 minute trip home. It was like driving through a movie. More emergency vehicles than I have ever seen... people running to and from vehicles to help, concrete power poles snapped in half, huge trees splintered and pulled up roots and all. All of this just across the street from where we were having lunch... demolished.


Overturned cars and trucks on the interstate.

House on the street that is across the street from my subdivision.

More damage... so close to my house and so close to where we were all having lunch.

More damage.
I am so thankful that everyone I know is okay. My privacy fence blew down and my patio furniture was tossed around... that was it. Several people in my subdivision have similar damage and tress down, but nothing major. I know of at least one colleague that lost her home and another who has significant damage. Pray for those without homes this morning and for the rebuilding process. We have more severe storms coming tomorrow, but for today I am thankful for a dry day for the recovery process to begin.

7 comments:

Sarah said...

Holy Cow! I'm on the phone discussing it with you now, but Holy Cow! That's incredible! I've always wanted to see one, but I guess not as close as you did! I'd like to watch one from across a BIG pasture. A really big pasture!

Leigh Ann said...

Oh my gosh! I am so thankful you all are okay. My heart just breaks for those families!

Megan L Hutchings said...

I still can't believe that we were so close to the damage! Thank you for letting me cry for a minute and also making me laugh. So thankful all of my friends were a okay!!!

Lauren said...

Those photos are amazing. I felt like I was on an island - no power, no tv, no internet, no phones, no idea what was going on. So scary!

ariel said...

Oh my gosh Meag! Im so glad everyone you know is safe and you didnt have much damage. Those pictures are unreal! I saw scenes like that on the weather channel that night but its a lot different seeing it from the camera of someone you know. That picture of the twister is CRAZY!

Betsy said...

Oh my gosh, Meagan. I was thinking about you all day when I heard the news about all those tornadoes in Murfreesboro. I am so glad you are okay. I can't believe all that damage. That is how it was here when Hurricane Hugo hit. It's really eerie. I will be praying for your city!!

Lindsay said...

That is SO amazing to me. I'm so glad that you and your friends and family are okay!