If you're not on CK2...... tragic story

[Guest guest]

This is just heartbreaking. 

They are collecting sympathy cards for this family at the A1 conference.  You

can drop them off at the NAA table or you can mail them to: 

Becky Grant-Widen, 847 Orchard Dr, Wilton, ME 04294

May 19, 2008

Brock 2002-2008

Today is a day full of grief in our home, in our small town and in our biomed

community. Brock, one of our own and one of Chandler’s classmates,

passed away last night.

It is the story we read practically every month. An autistic child gets away

from their family, drawn to the water that they love so much, and drowns.

Barry and Michele Brock invited over three friends to cook out on the back porch

yesterday. The adults grilled while , her typical twin sister is and

two other children played in the grass.

And then came that moment that we have all experienced too many times.

“Where’s ?â€

Everyone scattered around the house calling her name, and immediately they

looked over the fence at the neighbor’s back yard. Because the neighbors had

filled up their pool the day before and had seen their children swimming.

And loved the water.

But when they looked, they didn’t see her and fanned out into the woods behind

the house and into the street. A few more neighbors came out of their houses

when they heard her name being called to help look for her.

That is when another neighbor checked the pool again... from another angle. He

saw was at the bottom and dove in to pull her out.

Her mother performed CPR on her and a doctor who lived in the neighborhood was

quickly called, the paramedics worked on her and the hospital staff continued to

work on her for almost an hour and a half.

And they thought they were getting her back… but they didn’t.

Michele and Barry are devastated, and we are heart broken.

It is very hard for me to really believe that is gone. She was a child

full of life and energy. She was always doing. Riding her bike or scooter or

swinging. And not just any swing. Last week when the family was going to see

their friends across the street, dug through the garage and brought her

own swing over to use at their house.

She was a strong spirit. What she wanted, she wanted, and if you wanted to keep

something from her, she made you work to keep it from her. Once Michele had

begun teacher her ‘first_____, then _____’, turned it around on her

and began to use it as a negotiating tactic.

“, time for supper.â€

“Mommy, first supper, then cookie, then bike, okâ€.

And if she thought you were mad at her, she would ask you for tickles. The girl

was smart.

She knew all three names of every major composer. Her favorite was “Wolfgang

Amadeus Mozart†and would sometimes play his music at 3 AM for everyone in the

house to enjoy.

She loved books (wouldn't get on the school bus without one), and dogs, and did

great animal impressions and carried her flashcards everywhere. And she loved

bubbles and she loved to paint and she loved red and she loved stacking things.

And she was great at basketball. They bought her a full sized basketball hoop

and she owned it.

And was loved.

Her parents changed their whole world around for her, giving up jobs and friends

and family to come to a place that would be good for her. Barry was a loving,

care giver dad and Michele was an autism mom like few others. Her advocacy for

autistic child puts mine to shame, challenging school system bureaucrats head on

when they weren’t working in interests of her child, but in the interests of

their bottom line; searching out the doctors that could heal her child; and

letting nothing get in her way.

And what she did for ’s health… let’s just say I could only follow

about two thirds of what Michele was saying when she talked about her

daughter’s complicated medical picture. Again… her knowledge showed me how

much more I had to learn.

And the Brock’s home security is much better than our own. was an

escape artist who climbed out her second story window on the first day they

moved into their house. So her windows didn’t open after that.

Which is why ’s death doesn’t just grieve me, it scares me. The Brocks

were so much more on top of things that and I are, so if they can loose

in just five minutes when she was only 50 feet away from them…. well…

Last fall I was sitting at my desk paying bills and was upstairs in his

office working when the police came to our door with Chandler who had been found

three blocks away by a Verizon employee driving by. While we thought he was in

the playroom, he left the house apparently to look for his brother who was at

school. We never even knew he was gone.

Chandler knows his name and his phone number and his address, but all the police

could get out of him was “Websterâ€. So we have upped our security, and

bought a bracelet and even have a tracking system now.

But was only 50 feet away from them and they didn’t know she was in

trouble.

There is not a family among us that doesn’t know in their bones that this

could have been any of us. And still could.

This morning Michele all but begged me to get swimming lessons for Chandler.

They had just signed up for them. Again… to my shame… I have not made

this a priority, but I will correct that. She is urging us all to make it a

priority for our children.

A small correction to what has been in the local coverage. It was reported that

the police are investigating ’s death. That does not seem to be

accurate.

Last night the police were very respectful and kind to the Brocks and when they

left the home they said that they had everything they needed, so even if there

is still any formal inquiry going on, or paper work ‘open’, it is probably a

formality.

The Brocks are getting good support from their friends and family, and from the

community, and many people are asking what they can do to help. But they don’t

really know yet. They are still reeling right now.

Michele did say that if any one would like to do something that she would like

it if they would make a donation to the National Autism Association’s Helping

Hands program that pays for biomedical treatment for struggling families, or to

4 Paws for Ability, who trains autism service dogs for our kids and never turns

down a request from an autism family.

For those of you who were on the lists with Michele, she has signed off of all

of them. I am sure you could imagine how painful it would be to see those emails

coming in. If you want to leave messages for her and Barry here, please feel

free.

UPDATE: The Brock Memorial Fund

A fund has been established to assist the Brock family during this difficult

time.

Donations can be made to any Bank of America branch across the country in the

name of Brock Memorial or mailed to

Marina Curtis

5 Balsam Ave

Brunswick, Maine 04011

or via pay pal to ashley@...

UPDATE:

's Obituary with information on funeral services and memorial fund:

Brackett Funeral Home

29 Federal Street

Brunswick, Maine 04011

207 725-5511

Brunswick, ME— Elaine Brock, age 6, died Sunday, May 18, 2008 as a

result of a drowning accident.

, a daughter of Barry and Michele Sporkman Brock, was born in

Lexington, KY on February 7, 2002. She was in Kindergarten at Jordan Acres

School in Brunswick, ME.

was a free spirit in every sense of the word and had an umlimited supply

of energy. She enjoyed playing outdoors, the beach, swinging, jump roping,

riding her bike or scooter, and shooting basketball on her regulation hoop. She

loved bubbles, books, balloons, music, umbrellas, red wagons and painting. She

regularly woke her parents in the night with the sounds of reading her

dictionary or playing her Mozart cd. was never without her wildlife flash

cards or a favorite book and loved all animals, especially dogs. She was a

precious gift from God and the world is a better place because she was in it.

is survived by her parents, Barry and Michele Brock of Brunswick; her

twin sister, is Brock of Brunswick; her grandparents, Glenn and Mabel Brock

of Berea, KY, and Elaine Sporkman of West Point, IA; two uncles,

Brock and his wife of Berea, KY, Mike Sporkman and his wife of

West Point, IA; an aunt, Hammonds of Berea, KY; and several cousins.

Friends and family may visit from 5:30-8 PM on Friday, May 23, 2008 at the

Brackett Funeral Home, 29 Federal Street, Brunswick. A Mass of the Angels will

be held 10 AM Saturday at St. Borromeo Church, McKeen Street, Brunswick.

Memorial contributions can be made to the National Autism Association, Helping

Hands Program, 1330 W. Schatz Lane, Nixa, MO 65714, 4 Paws For Ability, Inc. 253

Dayton Ave. Xenia, Ohio 45385, or the Brock Memorial Fund at the Bank of

America.

Posted by Ginger , M.S. at Monday, May 19, 2008    

Labels: Brock