Mental Fitness for Good Health

King Eli Has Died; Are You Available?

Eli Florence was loved and respected by his peers and community.  For four years he struggled and battled acute myelogenous leukemia.  In the process of losing his life, he gave renewed life, hope and courage to people of all ages throughout the world.

A typical teenager and his group of friends from a small community, Lake Fenton by name, were featured on ESPN.  They were featured on ESPN, not because of their athletic endeavors on the football field or a golf course, but because of their courage, wisdom and love in winning the game of life.

Eli’s friends chose to honor her Eli, who had won the hearts of his fans, but was losing his battle with leukemia.  They honored him by making him King for homecoming and gave up their opportunity to be the king.  King Eli has died, but he won the game of life.

I was so impressed with El’s reaction to hearing about medical diagnosis.  Eli was not overrun with fear, anxiety or depression.  Instead he told his mother:  "I’ve got something to tell you, "Me and God, we had a heart-to-heart.  I told him I was available for whatever he needed."

Eli was special.  His "availability for whatever God needed" in his time of suffering has left a lasting impression on all of those who have known him and heard about him.

Here are what some people had to say.

"Dad,  Good story.  It’s been amazing to me how God gives such a gift of truely mature understanding to children in the most unbearable circumstances.  They have an odd sort of wisdom that is both calming and reassuring.  I am alway in awe of their power.  It is truly as if God works through them, personally using them to touch the lives of so many."

"He was amazing, the strongest person I’ve ever met," said Ashley, Eli Florence’s friend and date for homecoming.  This quotation was reported by Beata Mostafavi of The Flint Journal.

A friend, Matthew Tanyehill, was also quoted in The Flint Journal as saying:"

"He was just starting to get really sick, and we thought this might be his last homecoming and that it might mean a lot to him to be king. He deserved it. He got  through a his crown, and now he’ll be wearing an even bigger crown in heaven."

Another student, Jonathan Younglove had this to say about his friend:

"Eli never let his illness get in the way of enjoying life".  "He taught us to have hope no matter what you’re going through."

Classmate Taylor Traywick wiped away her tears as she remembered what her friend told her when she had bad days: "keep your head up. It will get better".

If you are interested, here are some comments from people who were moved and touched by the ESPN article on Eli.

Gabe Gutierrez from ABC12.com reported that David Bittinger, one of the contestants for becoming king of homecoming, said:  "I think he died knowing that everybody was there for him".

A songwriter, Joshua, is raising money for the family of Eli. Joshua Latimer graduated from Lake Fenton High School about six years ago.

"I wrote this song after one of the first football games that Eli came to," he said. "To watch a 15-year-old kid that’s frail and totally weak completely move 2,000 to silence, just let them introspectively look at their own livers, just the power he had to influence people, I thought was unbelievable." 

If you would like to hear "Eli’s Song," read the lyrics to the song or make a donation for the Florence family,  please click here.

Here are some of the lyrics to Eli’s Song.

"This is your song
A song of hope
To carry on

You’ve lived more of a life than people twice your age
Touched more hearts, and you’ve shown the way for us
To remember what matters
Your lifes a living song, and my faiths grown strong."

With Eli’s passing, will you be available to carry on the mission, values and courage of Eli?

Remember, We Live within Environment Created by Our Choices!

Dr. Hal

Life and Mental Fitness Coach

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