I wanted to thank you guys for all of the cards you sent. Trent and I are overwhelmed by your support and really appreciate all the thoughts and prayers. As a part of our mission to make people aware of this.. we did an interview with a local reporter that had called asking for one. Here's the link to Fletcher's story, and please pass it on to any parent you know.

Lufkin boy first local victim of choking game; parents speaking out to prevent more deaths

your story is so heartbreaking. I think what you are doing is wonderful! I 've forwarded it to everyone on my contact list.. I think of your family often.

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Too many people spend money they haven't earned to buy things they don't want, to impress people they don't like. - Will Rogers

Tami,
You are doing a good thing to help educate others.

It is so important that all parents are warned about this game.
I will pass it on.

Hugs and prayers,
Shirley

Tami,

Several people from my email address book were so taken by your loss. I know they will appreciate this followup article.

Thanks for being so brave and reaching out to help others in this short time. We have such respect for you.

Thanks so much for sharing I cant even imagine how hard this is but you are doing a wonderful thing by getting the word out.

I have a 12yr old myself & had kinda forgot about this kind of thing happening I only heard of it once when I was in school a boy died from it that was about 16yrs ago & my memory is so bad I had kinda forgotton about this.

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mom of 3 greats girls

Thank you again for taking the time to open yourself to the world and telling Fletcher's story to help others hopefullyl protect their children. This cannot be an easy thing for you and your family to go through, and I know that with stories like this there are always idiots out there who will not be kind and supportive when they should. I hope you have found that there are so many out here who respect you and your family and have taken you all and Fletcher into our hearts and prayers.

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"Well-Behaved Women SELDOM make history."Laurel Thatcher Ulrich


"Yesterday is but a vision, and tomorrow is only a dream. But today well lived makes every yesterday a dream of happiness, and every tomorrow a dream of hope." Anonymous

"Your candle does not lose it's light by lighting another candle" Generosity

Have the courage to be yourself.

Tami and Trent, my heart just aches for you... I think of your family and what you are going through and do so appreciate your sharing your grief with us so that we can be aware of what to look for as warning signs in our own childrens' lives. I think that is an enormous gift that you are giving to us -- you are very strong and brave -- heroes to me!

What a wonderful service you are doing in your time of unbearable grief and pain. I am sure you have opened eyes here at MC and the beauty of the internet is that your story can ultimately help somewhere a world away.

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Raising my baby RIGHT!!!!!!

All the cool babies are wearing cloth!

Dear Tami and Trent,
You are helping more families than you can ever imagine with your bravery. For you to speak out when you are in so much pain is so selfless. I am very sorry for your loss, but thank you for opening so many eyes.
Sincerely,
Nancy

Tami,
I sent you a Private message...

jay-dizzle,
You are one sick person. I hope nothing like this ever happens to you. No one should go through this kind of pain.
I, for one didn't know anything about this "game", so I wouldn't have known of the warning signs. This could easily have been my family and my dh & I are very involved in our ds lives. My 2 ds hadn't heard of this either until Fletcher's mom told her story. This family is very courages for coming forward in their time of pain to let others know about this.
Tami, if you read this, please know not everyone feels like this person. A lot of us admire your courage and strength. Hope you and your family are doing better (as good as can be anyway). You are all still in my prayers.
Judy

I must have missed jay-dizzle's response, and by the sounds of it I'm glad I did. Trent and I knew that there was a possibility we'd get negative and nasty responses when we did the interview, but it's more important to me to get the information out there. I didn't know about this *game*... and I KNOW now that there are other kids around here that are doing this. I need to do what I can to inform parents and kids about the dangers of this, and if that means taking a few slaps ...so be it.

There's not a lot anyone can say that's very much worse than what my dh and I have said to ourselves since all this happened. Guilt, remorse, and regret are a daily constant in our lives now. You cannot lose a child to something this senseless without thinking that you were a bad parent .

I didn't see the post either - and obviously it wasn't worth seeing.

Please know that you and Trent have only done good by your work on behalf of Fletcher.

You'll never know exactly how many kids you've saved by educating us, and opening up the dialogues in families everywhere. But I know that you know that your story has had a true impact on all of us.

Thanks again.

I second what Devinmom said.

"There's not a lot anyone can say that's very much worse than what my dh and I have said to ourselves since all this happened. Guilt, remorse, and regret are a daily constant in our lives now. You cannot lose a child to something this senseless without thinking that you were a bad parent ."

Tami, it wasn't your fault.

Rebecca

I saw it & it was nasty! Be glad you missed it!

Thank you for sharing your story. You may be saving lives.

Thank you for sharing your family's story, which I have shared with my kids. Although I had heard of this "game", it really took your son's death to make me realize it could be ANY of our children.

Again, our prayers for all of you.

Tami and Trent...You are in my prayers. Thanks for being so open with your story.

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Freedom Stands...Because HEROS Serve

Mary

When someone dies of a preventable cause, there's a huge tendency to avoid letting the cause of death be known, or talking about it. I understand completely the desire for privacy, and to avoid letting an embarrassment become known, but staying quiet doesn't prevent any deaths.

On the few occasions I've seen an honest obituary, or a story like yours, I've usually been shocked, saddened, and completely sympathetic to the family. I've also had the lesson impressed on me far more strongly than a simple news item could have done. I knew this problem existed, but I didn't know the signs. I don't think I could forget them now, even if I wanted to.

I have so much respect for you and your husband for choosing to use your personal tragedy to try to prevent more kids from being killed.

Tami,
I didn't see it either and I am so happy that you didn't see it.
You sure don't need to read anything from that type person.

I am sure that they are a coward since it seems to be their ONLY post!

I have never heard of jay-dizzle, and I am so glad that I don't know him/her!!