Dear Friends,

I’m sure you have all heard the shocking news of the shark attack on Todd Murashige at Crouching Lion.  It’s been in newspapers across the state, and the rest of the nation.  The story has been featured in USA Today, the Boston Herald and Seattle Times among others.  It even made news in the Brisbane Times in Australia.  We’ve watched the stories on all the local news stations.  We all wondered:  Would he keep his leg?  Would he walk again?  Would he live?  We were relieved to see his interviews telling his tale of survival.  We learned about how seriously close he came to dying that day.  If the bite was a few millimeters deeper or a few seconds later, we would be telling a completely different story. 

But, when Todd’s story fades from the headlines and the local news, we just assume that everything is getting back to normal.  What we haven’t heard much about is what “normal” is for Todd now.  The good news is that after being released from the hospital, Todd is at home recovering and adjusting to his new limitations.  Miraculously, he is able to walk with a full-length leg brace.  On the other hand, he has been unable to work for the past 4 weeks since the attack.  Todd is a self-employed tile installer who along with his wife, Heather, a teacher, supports their two children.  While they are grateful for his miraculous recovery, they are far from the “normal” life they once knew.

It is our hope to reach a hand out to our friend and brother in his time of need.  We are all aware that if this could happen to Todd, it could happen to any one of us.  If we could put ourselves in his shoes, we can imagine the frustration and fear his family is experiencing.  Todd and Heather are good people who are committed to making the best of their situation.  They are not ones to ask for help, but we know their needs are great, and we want to help. 

On 12/3, we will be holding a fundraising event at the Willows Restaurant to raise as much money as we can to help support the Murashige family in their time of need.  Among other things, we are asking for monetary donations, assistance in ticket sales, donations for a silent auction, volunteers, and promotional consideration.   It is our hope to raise a substantial amount of money that will help with any medical expenses and household bills.  As we continue to pray that Todd will recover quickly and be able to work again, we want to give the family a sense of financial peace during this time of uncertainty.