Jeff sent the following letter at 2:56 a.m. this morning. Be sure to see the photos at the bottom of this post.

From Jeff

Time for True Confessions:  I feel like an absolute failure.  But, I’m where I need to be right now.

On Sunday, I was in Reno preparing for this year’s ride, and Janet and I were talking on the phone (she was at home in Centerville, Utah, with Josh).  While we were talking, she said, “Josh just pulled up his shirt, pointed to his right side, and signed, “doctor.”  What should I do?”  That was so unlike Josh and she asked him if he wanted to go to the doctor?  He gave the question the “thumbs-up” so she took him to Instacare where they recommended she take him to LDS Hospital in Salt Lake City.  Not long after arriving there, Josh was on his way to the OR for an emergency appendectomy.

We were told Josh would most likely spend the evening in the hospital and be discharged the next day, so Janet and I decided I should continue with the Ride From Reno.

Monday dawned bright and clear with a light breeze out of the southwest.  Our little group of riders, consisting of Coleman Warren, Mike Nelson, Joe Plater, Chris Spillers, Larry Peterson, Chris and Brian McCombs, and MaryAnn and I rode out from under the “Biggest Little City in the World” arch in downtown Reno around 7:40 a.m., and made our way south out of town, up Geiger Grade to Virginia City, down Six-Mile Canyon to Dayton, where we turned northeast toward Fallon.

The day was almost picture perfect and by mid-afternoon we were comfortably out in the barren Nevada desert east of Fallon.  I descended Sand Springs Pass when my Blackberry rang.  It was Janet, telling me Josh had just suffered a heart attack and cardiac arrest while at LDS Hospital and was being transported to the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit at Intermountain Medical Center in Salt Lake City.  I was stunned, shocked, terrified (more adjectives than I could list here) and was reeling with thoughts and emotions I’m not sure I’d ever encountered before.  In an instant I knew the 2008 Ride From Reno was over for me and I needed to get home to my family immediately.  The problem was I happened to be >500 miles from home, out in the middle of nowhere.  Literally and figuratively.

In a few minutes I’ll cover the details of the incredible choreography of events that occurred which allowed me to get home, but the bottom line is this.  After riding 125 miles on Monday, I drove all night, arriving home Tuesday morning, spent the day and evening in ICU with Josh, and right now it is 2:00 a.m. Wednesday morning and the last sleep I enjoyed was the 3 hours I got Sunday evening.  I’m beyond the point of exhaustion.

Which brings me to my Celestial Son, Josh.  Josh was born with Down Syndrome and is the most perfect human being anyone will ever encounter.  His constant joyfulness, happiness, zest for life, good humor, impishness, playfulness, and sweetness all combine for what can only be described as a “Josh Experience.”  The older I get the more I see and recognize how deeply inferior I am to him.  How I, and the rest of humankind, don’t come close to measuring up to the greatness and standards that are such a natural part of his soul.  I know the day will come when all the encumbrances of life will fall away and we’ll be breathless when we see Josh in his eternal power and majesty.  I am humbled to be his father.

And so, when he was in distress and trouble, I had no choice but to get to Josh’s side as quickly as possible, no matter the cost or inconvenience.

I feel as though I’ve let many people down who have counted on me, and expected me, to complete this year’s Ride From Reno.  But through the commitment and integrity of the rest of the Team, the Ride From Reno continues.  Without me.  Which is as it should be because this ride isn’t about me.  It’s about raising funds for Huntsman Cancer Institute, furthering their quest for better tolerated, less toxic treatments for cancer.

I ask for your forgiveness and for your understanding.  If Josh is stable and out of the woods, I may ride the final leg of this year’s event, from Delta to Salt Lake City, on Saturday, June 14th.

In closing, I must thank the following:   All of this year riders, who got off their bikes in the middle of the Nevada desert, removed their helmets and bowed their heads with me in prayer, petitioning the Lord to spare Josh’s life.  It was a deeply spiritual experience and I’ll remember every detail of it for the rest of my life.  Dad, for waiting with me while the rest of the Team rode on.  My nephew, McKenzie, for driving out into the desert to pick me up and drive me back to Fallon.  Bill, for driving me to Hazen.  Clay, for driving me to, and around, Reno.  Geoff and Diane, for finding me a car-charger for my Blackberry so I could stay in touch with my family while the drama unfolded.  JJ for your beautiful prayer.  Clay and Little Coleman, for the wonderful Priesthood blessing.  And, Little Coleman, for giving me your beautiful 350Z to drive back to Salt Lake City so I could be with Josh (BTW, were you aware it will easily go over 125 mph?).

For those of you I may have disappointed, I’m truly sorry.  But, I am where I need to be and the Ride From Reno continues in spite of my absence.  I’ll be back in 2009.

Fondly,

Jeff