Blogs

Note: See latest updates below.

Image

Our other staff member injured in the accident that claimed Kortney and her baby, Sophy, is Jon Scharfenberger.

I’ve been in constant contact throughout the day with our SFLA staff getting updates.

It’s bad, and at 3 AM it turned really bad. It’s gotten worse throughout the day. At this point, we need a miracle for Jon to make it to tomorrow. If it’s God’s will, may Jon stay and grow old with us.

Please pray for this beautiful young man, and for his family who are beside themselves with grief and the hard work of keeping him alive. Jon’s mom is a nurse and at the hospital in Georgia. His dad is a physician and should be arriving there shortly, after coordinating efforts from their home here in New York.

Updates to follow, but for now, please pray!

UPDATE, 10/10/11, 11 PM, EST: Jon has pulled out of the steep decline he was in and has leveled off. That’s a major victory in and of itself. I won’t be posting details, at the request of the family. Each cessation of decline, each small improvement are huge victories. So, tonight will be the battle of maintaining Jon’s condition, and tomorrow will be the battles of maintaining, and improving that condition. We’re on square 1 of a 1,000-square board, with a long way to go, and much prayer and fasting to carry Jon and his family through. Starting at noon on Tuesday and every noon for 9 days, we’ll be praying the Lourdes Novena for healing of Jon and the others. Come and pray with us. Encourage others to do so.

NOVENA for Jon began today. Click Here.

UPDATE, 10/11/11, 1 PM EST: There is a ray of hope in the darkness. John’s neurological condition has stopped deteriorating and has held steady through the night and through the morning. From eye movements through his closed eyes, he is showing response to meaningful people in his life. Having lived through the day yesterday, and having no further decline today are very hopeful indicators, though he remains in extremely critical condition. The next 24 hours are crucial. I’m withholding specifics about John at the Family’s request. Please keep up the prayers. We’re praying the Novena to Our Lady of Lourdes every day here at Coming Home. Please join us. I’ll post further developments as I get them. God Bless.

UPDATE, 10/12/11, 12:15 PM EST: Jon has shown significant improvement by almost all parameters of his condition. Again, while I cannot give details, suffice it to say that he is trending in the right direction. His condition remains extremely critical. He pulled out of a steep dive two days ago, and within the last fifteen hours has begun to gain some altitude. Let’s continue to be the wind beneath his wings with constant prayer. The other two victims, whose names are being withheld, continue to progress in their healing.

UPDATE, 10/13/11 10:36 PM EST: Not long after posting yesterday, Jon went into some serious instability yesterday, and according to reports, we almost lost him. Things have once again stabilized. Jon’s condition remains extremely critical, as his stability has not been sustained. This is not at all unusual in an intensive care unit, and while we hope and pray, we may well see more of this see-saw battle in the days to come. Constant prayer for Jon is necessary, as it is for the other victims whose recovery remains on a stable trajectory, but will be long in duration.

UPDATE, 10/17/11, 7:30 AM EST: Late yesterday I received word that the physicians have induced a 72-hour coma in Jon. In the meantime, we wait, and hope, and pray.

UPDATE, 10/17/11, 5:20 PM EST: Jon has spiked a fever of 108 degrees F, which can be lethal. Urgent prayers are needed as this battle has taken a terrible turn for him.