Thank you for keeping up with Tony's status as he was battling cancer.

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Saturday, August 21, 2010

Final Posting

Hi everybody. It is kind of hard to end this blog. It has been a part of my daily life for a long time now. It has helped preserve my family's sanity by keeping people updated from one spot, and it has been somewhat therapeutic to put things in writing that I sometimes could not say in person or on the phone.

I do have a request of you. To help make Tony's death have the most meaning possible, take the following steps that we learned from his life.
  • Put God first.
  • Give of yourself and your time to others.
  • Seek out and enjoy good music and good friends.
  • Remember that your simple everyday actions reach much farther than you know.
  • Smile.
Finally, so we can all see Tony again...make sure you are saved. Read the Bible, and study it for yourself. Challenge "what you have always heard" or "what you have been told", and make sure it really is in the Bible.

Thank you for being such good friends to Tony, to Randi, to Sherri, and to me.

God's blessings on all of you,

Neal Collins

10 comments:

  1. This is definitely exactly what I have learned from Tony, and I'm positive what he wanted everyone to take from his life.

    Thank you for the blog, and thank you for sharing Tony with us all for a while.

    I love you guys.

    ~Ashley Lauren

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  2. Your son was a fine young man! I'm sure his parents had a lot to do with the way he lived. Like I have said in past comments, I haven't met any of you except your Mom but am looking forward to meeting you and Tony in heaven some day. It just might not be too long before Jesus comes.
    I prayed for Tony's healing and he now has his ultimate healing.

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  3. Dear Neal, Sherri and Randi,

    Thank you for keeping up this blog and helping all of us to be a little part of Tony's life during this struggle. We are glad that our sons and their families could be in AR to help celebrate Tony's life and share memories with you. We wish we could have been there also but know we were thinking about you at that time. You will continue to be in our prayers for strength and courage. As someone else said in their comments Tony is healed now and safe in the arms of Jesus.

    God bless you all, Bill & Gail McCaughan

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  4. God saw you getting tired and a cure was not to be, so He put His arms around you and whispered, "Come with me." With tearful eyes we watched you suffer, and saw you fade away. Although we could not bear to lose you, we could not ask you to stay. A golden heart stopped beating, hardworking hands laid to rest. God broke our hearts to prove to us that He only takes the BEST!"

    This was posted on Facebook by someone else who had lost a loved one.

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  5. Thank you so much for summing it up. We all appreciated knowing and being able to pray for Tony along the way. This final posting was just right. Tony followed the great commandment, and it is our mission to follow it also. Take care of each other.

    Kathy Sue

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  6. Well said. Love you guys. Dana & Mickey

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  7. Hello-
    I didn't know Tony personally but learned about him from a friend. I have followed your blog daily and can not thank you enough for letting us share this journey with you. I know there had to be many times that it had to be hard to keep the blog going but I can not tell you enough how much it has blessed my life. I have prayed many prayers and shared many tears with you. I know you have to be missing Tony tremendously but are comforted knowing he is with God and no longer suffering. I know too you have to be comforted knowing you will be with him again some day in heaven. I will continue to pray for strength for you all on those days that are tougher than others. Thanks again for sharing this journey with us.
    In Christian love,
    Janet Simmons

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  8. Very well stated Neal!

    I will follow your "request" and will also continue to pray for you, Sherri, & Randi.

    Ever your friend... Dan

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  9. It was a blessing growing up with Tony. He had a great impact on my life and obviously the lives of many others. I can't wait to see him when I get home. Thank you for keeping this blog, it must have been very hard at times.
    I love all of you
    Amanda 'Elmore' Creed

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  10. Neal, Sherri and Randi,
    Thank you for letting us be a part of your journey. We've followed it daily and prayed for so long. It's nice to have this closure. Your request will be followed to the best of our ability and your family will remain in our prayers!
    We love you!
    The Peckham's

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