Where You Need to BE

This is Britt's Dad Jesse and it's Sunday morning early, I’ve been overwhelmed with emotion most the night as I laid here trying to sleep. Last night I was able to take my little boy Ledger “Moose” to the Sportsman for Fish and Wildlife banquet held at The Washington County Fairgrounds indoor facility. During the past couple weeks I received a couple phone calls from friends of mine involved in the banquet, asking me if we could attend? Not knowing, we still bought a sponsorship and donated a nice big freezer from our business for the silent auction. So wasn’t sure if we could make it because we had a baseball tournament scheduled already, and we were hoping to be playing in the championship game at the same time that evening. Well …… our baseball tournament got rained out and that put me where I needed to be that night! Moose & I got to the banquet at around 7pm and the parking lot was overflowing. I was involved in SFW really heavy for about ten years when my kids were younger. I served on many boards as well as becoming a state delegate representative for my area, with my intentions being focused on land management for ranchers/farmers and management of funds for the great wildlife we have in the state of Utah. The older Autumn & Britton got, the more I got involved in coaching them in all their sports & activities. I tried to make everything work, juggling all the groups, work, politics and kids sports for a while, but realized real fast that Our Kids were 1^st and foremost before ANYTHING! And again I knew where I needed to be!

The 2015 banquet was as big as I ever remember it ever being, I think there may have been 1500 sportsman there! Men, women & children from all over this great community packed in that building to support Wildlife, Fishing and a WAY OF LIFE that we all value for ourselves and our children. We sat down during the dinner with my good buddies I hunt with in the fall and I looked at the main live auction list on our table. There were approximately 25 items on that list last night and 7 of them were listed as “Britton Shipp Auction Items”, needless to say my heart swelled up the size of a basketball and I realized again! “The selflessness of the good people of this community and further” There were guns donated by Jorgensen Honda (Dennis Jorgensen) from Richfield, Utah.... A Fully guided Mountain Lion Hunt by Jared “Hound em” Higgins..... 2 Fully guided elk hunts donated by “Team Mossback #redhats”...... 1 Fully guided Montana Spring Bear hunt by Doyle Moss of  Mossback Outfitters...... 2 of The all New  Hoyt  Nitrum Bows by Terry Beck of TNT Archery..... A  Yearling Mule, halter broke (already gated) out of a Tennessee Walking Mare by Todd Abelhouzen .... A reverse osmosis water system donated by Kinetico of St.George and another generous donation made by Performance Diesel (PDI) Jared Whittwer. 

Needless to say Russell Todd, Todd Abelhouzen, Nolan Gardner, Cody Webber and ALL of The Southern Utah Chapter  SFW committee members out did themselves last night as always. I really felt a spirit in that room last night especially when The Auctioneer John Bair said “There’s a lot of important issues out there to fight for in our little world, but the most important thing you can fight for is your FAMILY and the people you LOVE!” In just over 1 hour those sportsmen, friends and strangers raised over $15,000 for Britton. These are the salt of the earth hard working people that gave themselves & thier hearts for #believe4britton for one night. Something Me or My Family will never forget it…….Thank You ALL, I can’t tell you what the Sportsman community means to me… Just like last weekend up in SLC at The Hunting Expo all the great sportsmen that bought #bonez4britt #B4B hats and shirts that Austin Duke @backcountrybonebrokers & his Sweet Wife from Heber City, Utah made for Britton out of the kindness of thier hearts.They called me a month or so ago and said they just felt like they wanted to do something for Britton & our Family. Austin buys & sells Shed Antlers (Bone) for a living and said this was a way for him and his wife to give back! Just so many great people out there doing selfless things for others.... 

As you all have been reading lately Britton has been doing great every single day! These amazing people here at The Nuero Rehab Unit are just fantastic! I can’t tell you the feeling I get every morning when we are doing Britt’s morning workouts (rehab). I tell people all the time if you could watch this boy work for just 15 minutes, you would NEVER complain, gripe or take a single minute for granite the rest of your life. He has most definitely made me a better person and a better Dad. Britton’s work ethic is second to none!  He has taught me that nothing is too hard & to never give up! And always do more than your asked to do…. He has built my faith through his perseverance and fight. He has taught me this is where I need to be as his Dad. He proves to me every single day that  kindness can’t be over used. He never fails to ask the nurses & therapists “How are you today” or tell them ”Thank You” numerous times as he’s giving everything he’s got. Every time a nurse or CNA leaves the room he’ll say “Thank You So Much” whether he’s wide awake or half asleep…I know these are just little things, but I know it’s made every person that has come in contact with him a better, more appreciative person! I so wish everyone could feel & see his sweet, kind spirit everyday like we all do?

If the biggest thing I learn from this is “Knowing there is a plan!” and it’s not Mine!…..Then I’ve learned all that really matters!! Heavenly Father has the plan and when you open your heart and mind to his plan it’s crystal clear! Everything really does happen for a reason, and although this has been an unfortunate situation in our Family....IT HAS BEEN THE SINGLE GREATEST BLESSING EVER for Our Family! 

Like I said earlier….. I was in the right place last night! I needed to be there and see again the Love & Support this GREAT community has for each other and especially “Our Boy Britt”

http://youtu.be/OjraCqVUOPM