Day 105 | DECEMBER 24, 2021

Good Evening Friends, today is day 105 of our new and amazing life !

Today was a very good day !

This morning, I spend some very good time with the boys and when I called the hospital for the morning update, I was informed that Charlie’s surgery for today was canceled, due to the fact VCU trauma unit was overwhelmed with life treating cases in need of surgeries, It was a sad reminder that tragedy can and continue to touch so many life’s, when I learned that Charlie surgery was canceled, I quickly adjusted my schedule and made my way to Richmond on my usual time.

Once I arrived, I noticed that all the rooms at the burn unit were full, so very sad.

Charlie and I enjoy the most amazing conversation, we talked for about 1 hour, about how much I have changed and learned since the day of the accident, we also talked in depth about Gratitude, how amazing it feels to find the way towards gratitude , I remember that just 40 days or so ago, I was so sad and concerned about Christmas, and how sad it was that Charlie would not be home for it, well here we are today, and I am far away from any sadness , we are grateful! I am grateful for Charlie’s life, I am grateful for her incredible recovery, I am grateful for our sons life ,I am grateful for all the love and support from my family, friends and strangers from around the world !

We have so much to be grateful for, but we also have so much to be sad for, the list is equally long, but we chose to be grateful!

As we discussed gratitude we noticed that being vulnerable can bring you to be grateful, and also to experience Love!

Charlie and I agreed that her survival and recovery main motivator was and is Love!

Charlie’s love for her boys and family was the reason why she chose to fight for her life ! My love for Charlie and our family gave me the strength to be at her side every single day, and your love for our family has provided us with resources, prayers and all kinds of help! And what unites all of us together, is the Love of God!

So, at the end of the day! Love is what we all need to be grateful for!

I invite you to practice gratitude in your life , and I promise you that you will see so much Love around you !

Be grateful to be alive, be grateful to be able to walk, be grateful for what you have ! Just think about what you currently have , and I can assure you, you can find 50 different reasons to be grateful!

On this Christmas Eve, I will pray for all the patients that entered the burn unit tonight, I will pray for every single one of you and your families, and I will thank God for my wife’s life and my family's health! We are so blessed !

A cute little story came to my attention today. A Dog was hit by a train yesterday in Richmond, and he was rescued by the Richmond Animal Care and Control and they named him Charlie Stuart Xavier !! I was so grateful that RACC was made aware of our Charlie story, and they were so kind to share my Charlie story on their page, I am glad to see that Charlie’s name now is synonymous with survival and strength! Take a look at their page for the whole story.

I wish you a Merry Christmas and enjoy your time with your families!

May God Bless You

André