October 13, 2011 (LifeSiteNews.com) – After Students for Life of America (SFLA) field director Kortney Blythe Gordon and her unborn daughter Sophy were killed in a tragic car accident last weekend, the pro-life organization asked for donations to help pay for Kortney’s and Sophy’s funeral.
Now Kristan Hawkins, the executive director of SFLA, has revealed that the outpouring of support has more than covered the expenses of laying Kortney and her daughter to rest.
“On behalf of the Gordon and Blythe families, we are truly thankful for the incredible amount of emotional, spiritual, and financial support you have shown in the past few days,” said Hawkins.
Hawkins also revealed that the funeral for Kortney and Sophy will take place on Friday, October 14, at 1:00 pm. It will be held at Christ Covenant Church in Matthews, North Carolina on 800 Fullwood Lane. Her family is also planning on holding a memorial service in the Washington D.C. area on October 22, for those who are unable to travel to the funeral.
SFLA says that it will stream the funeral service live over the internet. The link will be made available soon.
Even as SFLA and Kortney’s family prepare to say their final farewells, however, another SFLA staffer, Jon Scharfenberger, who was also involved in the car accident, remains in critical condition.
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While the prognosis for Jon originally looked bleak, he has showed signs of improvements in the past few days, providing hope that he will yet recover.
“Although Jon has made various, gradual improvements, he has a long road of recovery ahead of him,” said Hawkins. “His stability has fluctuated since the accident and, despite making a number of medical advancements that keep us all optimistic about his recovery, his condition continues to rise and fall throughout the day.”
Hawkins also said that a recording of Monday’s webcast, which was held to honor the life of Kortney and to support Jon and his family, is available online here.
“From all of us, ‘thank you’ is simply not enough to express how we feel about your many, many kind words and prayers,” Hawkins concluded. “We are humbled and strengthened by your support, and we know that Kortney is smiling down on us all as we grieve the loss of her and Sophy and continue to shower Jon with the help he needs.
“The unspeakable loss of Kortney and Sophy and Jon’s fragile condition are a direct result of the progress we as an organization and as a movement have made, and certainly how incomparable both Kortney and Jon are. Our mission at Students for Life, the work of Kortney and Jon, and Christ’s own vision for the respect for all human life in our country and around the world are bigger than the hurdles we face and the rips in our hearts. We draw strength from their examples and from your prayers, and we are now more than ever working as a unified team, strengthened by the examples of our friends and the grace from God as we recover. We now more than ever strive to end abortion in our lifetime, and we are now more than ever motivated to attain that goal.”