UPDATE 4/11 & EVENT PICTURES

I am leaving tomorrow to go back to Miami. Today is John’s 8th birthday and we had a wonderful day today. We went to a friend’s house to let the kids ride horses. It was John’s first time and he did a great job. He learned how to brush the horse, saddle her and ride on his own including a trot. Yesterday we had a fund raiser at a local restaurant “Bagali’s” and it was a beautiful and overwhelming evening. We had more than 300 people attend with a silent auction, raffle and live band. My heart is so full of emotion of thanks that I cannot even start to explain. I cannot wait for Michele to get better to see all the support, love and prayers that have been sent her way throughout the world. I have saved every card, email, photo and donation so that she and I can thank everyone. We are going to spend a life time “paying it forward” to other deserving people.

Michele’s condition has not changed much and she continues to be in stable condition but she is not progressing as we would hope. Our goal now is to have her shunt operation this Friday or next Monday and if all goes well she will be transported to Colorado within 4 days after the operation. I know this has been our goal several times and due to set backs we continually have to push back the dates. I hope this is not the case this time and I have her in Colorado by the 23rd of this month.

Thanks for the continued prayers.
John

PICTURES FROM THE EVENT

THE THANK YOU SPEECH

By Amy (Michele's Sister)

Thank you all for coming to the O'Donnell Family Fundraiser tonight, I am Michele's sister Amy. There have been so many prayers and so many people who have done so much already for my sister, from friends and strangers in Cancun, to people across the country.

I would like to say a special thanks to some very special people here in Colorado:

Lance & Margaret Hollinger - Owner's of Bagali's, Bob Keslin, Mark & Jane Shine, and the band Flashback. Thank you for HOSTING and performing tonight.

Steve Smith - John & Michele's life-time friend. For dropping everything at a moments notice to handle anything and everything John asks for, handling all of their insurance needs, and just being the kind of friend everyone would hope for. I've been around all of the O'Donnell family over the past 2 1/2 months and the entire O'Donnell family holds you in the highest respect.

Hugh & Tracey Mattox - John & Michele's neighbors and best friends. For creating The O'Donnell Family Fund at 1st Bank, for organizing meals for the kids, and for making this event come to life tonight.

Kelly McAlister - John's best friend. You moved rooms numerous times in Cancun to accomodate my family, for changing flights to fly back with the kids, for helping John run the business, taking Tana to get her driver's license, for being a huge part of organizing this event tonight & for being John's sounding board - many times on the phone up until 2 o'clock in the morning.

Brian O'Donnell - John's cousin. For stepping up and helping run the business and helping out at home.

Jordan - My nephew Billy's girlfriend. For being the house mother, cleaning, doing the laundry, cooking, taking care of the dogs, and driving the kids around.

Lance and Jorena Collins - Alyssa's best freind Jasmine's parents. For driving the kids to and from school, and for taking care of Alyssa on the weekend sleepovers.

Dan Weller - John's good friend. For arranging and paying for all of John's flights to and from Miami.

Jeff Dunahue - John's good freind from Regis. For buying Billy a ticket to Cancun, so that he could be there for John's birthday.

Liz Christiansen - Michele's highschool friend. For taking John John to his first reconciliation. I was with John in Miami when he found out this took place, and it was so important to him & Michele. When he told Michele that day, at a time when she was awake, but could not speak, the emotion in her eyes really said it all.

Ed Messman - John & Michele's neighbor and friend. For creating the GIVEO site for Michele.

Thanks to ALL of you that donated on the GIVEO site.

Thanks to ALL of you that have provided meals for the kids.

Thanks to ALL of you who donated silent auction items.

And to my brother-in-law John. I love you, I respect you and I am so glad that you are married to my sister.

PRAY FROM CINDY

(Michele's Sister)

Hail, Holy Queen

Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve.
To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us. And after this our exile, show unto us the blessed Fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary. Pray for us, o Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Amen.