10-01-2008
From Jack's Dad:
Complete strangers that care are complete friends we've never met. Thank you for caring.
Jack Tyler died four months ago on June 1st we love him and we are crushed.
I only know that now my need for faith has grown because my treasure is in heaven. My heart is both places heaven and earth. Jack's sister Robynn just broke her arm yesterday and Jack's mom Megan is pregnant with twins. Life moves on. Miracles happen. Jack is not at our dinner table or in the bath tub or sleeping tight in his bed where he belongs, but somehow I feel that God is speaking to me. I hear him thru your caring, the coming of the twins, our devotion to Robynn, and the troves of loving caring people who came to our rescue as best possible during the period where Jack was fighting his battle. I can't help but think that if I stood before God and asked, "where was the miracle I asked for to save my son Jack, God?" - he might reply something like, "look...there is Jack with you now, and before you came to me did you not see the friends I sent you, did you not see the sun come out from behind clouds the minute you released the balloons at the cemetery, did you not understand the gift of life two times over with the twins, where you not paying attention?" I am paying attention and I hope I don't miss any miracles. I only know I'm not God and I could not save my son. God somehow could not save his son either from death at our hands but he could raise him after his body failed and I pray that is exactly what has happened to Jack Tyler.
Jack touched many people and he taught me something about life that I could not teach and did not want to know, He lived and lived - even as he was dying. He never complained or put himself first. He simply tried the best he could every minute of every day to the very end to find joy in living and happiness in himself to share with all of us. I fear that I cannot live up the standard of living that Jack demonstrated especially when my time comes. I just hope it's quick for me Jack fought 7 long months.
Not a complete stranger anymore
thank you ! Sorry for my wallowing.
Our family is doing well now. Please find peace in this and spread it. This Sundberg family will be well and happy and we will embrace life daily and love each other and keep Jack with us thru it all. The twins will know about their brother Jack. Robynn misses him daily we all do. We are converting our sorrow to happiness because Jack deserves that we show his strength as proof of what he gave us. So we do.
Craig Sundberg Jack Tylers very proud father.
06-02-2008
Jack's story has once again touched thousands of people. Jennifer Rogers of WICU ran a story this evening about Jack entitled "Jack's Battle Won."
http://www.wicu12.com/news/index.vnss?newsid=5595&type=News
Christian Sundberg, Jack's brother says, "This is a story about good things that happen and a lot of people really stepped up and showed what they were made of."
Many people in the community, and beyond, gave of themselves to help in Jack's battle. Christian says, "That's not something you can say for a lot of situations and a lot of stories. When someone dies, at the end it seems bitter and sad and forever but in fact we have been shown something amazing. We've been shown the generosity and the love that is in the hearts of very very many common people."
The community poured their heart out to the 3 year old and his family. Christian says people "Offered their financial support, support of time, their best wishes and their prayers. People who don't know us. Many many people who don't know us and it really speaks to the goodness in humanity."
Jack suffered with a glioblastoma multiforme A tumor. Christian says, "He went through real hardship but he never complained. If you ever asked him how he was doing he would say 'Oh, I'm doing good' or 'I'm happy' but clearly he was not doing well. Clearly what he's dealing with is a major obstacle, a major disease. It was terminal cancer and he didn't understand."
Through radiation and chemotherapy Jack wore his best smile, something that family and friends will never forget. Christian says, "He won his battle. He got his peace. That's something amazing. Something none of us should forget."
06-02-2008
Jack's Obituary that was in the paper:
http://www.legacy.com/ErieTimesNews/DeathNotices.asp?Page=Lifestory&PersonId=110844008
Jack Tyler Sundberg, age 3, of Erie died Sunday morning June 1, 2008 at his residence. He was born August 18th, 2004 a son of Craig and Megan Munn Sundberg. Jack has had two lives - before cancer and after cancer. Before Jack's cancer he was a fearless explorer, independent, water in the eyes was welcomed, tireless at activity, loud at times, a lover boy and a charmer. His natural beauty and smile attracted all the mothers and girls to him. Once or twice he vanished from the house and seconds later we found him running down the sidewalk outside. This prompted us to put a chain at each door because he was prone to un-authorized exploration. In summers his pants were constantly filled with sand from playing in it and in winter he never wanted to go in from sliding down the snow-sled-hill mom made. In summer the pool was too deep for even Robynn and certainly Jack - they simply wore life jackets and jumped in. We spent hours as many days a week as possible in the pool having fun. Yesterday was mother's day and Megan reminded me that I had Jack and Robynn climb up a very steep embankment at the "river" at Asbury woods - Megan was a worried mom. They were both fearless and I was there to help them find their extents not their limits. We walked the creek (we called it the river) with shoes every summer. The 1st time for Jack was in a diaper and he just ran out of energytwo miles downstream so I carried him on my shoulders back upstream while he slept. We thought he was small and short in those days. At 3 Ύ years - 6 months past diagnosis - he was 43 inches and 55 lbs - before the cancer he weighed 35 lbs. Jack's spirit is naturally happy. I always thought he was just like me - almost. He and I always communicated intuitively and we worked together very well with few words. At a TV and with music his rhythmic timing was impeccable and his memory was precise. After watching a Baby Einstein, A Dora the Explorer, or a Diego the Animal Rescuer he would have all the lines memorized. As a musician myself I noted he had extraordinary skill at remembering the exact details of rhythm inside the music OR background words in the dialogue. With all that musical talent he also inherited his mother's dance talent - all the Munn sisters have it. In September he started dance - the only boy in his all-girl dance class. The first day of class I felt like grabbing him and running for the hills - it just did not feel right. But he went in and danced. He was comfortable and loved being really good at something social. The next week he didn't want to go in - at first. I was not going to make him go in and after five minutes he said, "Dad, I want to dance." He went in and never balked again. He caught on quickly and was fast becoming a spotlight potential. This experience was short as his cancer had started to interfere with his function by late October 2007. It's easy in retrospect to recognize the signs - he was starting to get sleepy and this kid does not get tired. He was doing the slide at Port Farms and seemed not to be having as much fun as he would normally have had. Earlier my mother noticed a slight asymmetry to his posture. And then it started β¦ he seemed very sick, throwing up and sleeping a lot, only to have enough energy to watch Baby Einstein in between. This went on for and entire week. We had to help him walk and he was absent. The doctors thought is was a virus that would pass. Later on the vomiting stopped until the night of October 28th when the world forever changed for him and us. We took him to Hamot that Sunday night - 28 October. 29 October he was flown to Pittsburgh Children's hospital where he spent two weeks under sedation. He received extensive MRI's and a few relatively minor surgeries. After not eating for three weeks he came home to recover - raisins were his favorite food. Late November he started radiation and chemo and within a few weeks we saw obvious improvement and by January he was at 85% of his old self except he was 51 lbs - too many raisins. We did Disney World in Orlando Florida thanks to Make-a-Wish and Give Kids the World. It was wonderful and we were all rather happy. We knew that by February he would start to lose function once again due to the radiation side effects - brain swelling - and it happened. And then the March MRI showed more than brain swelling. We were once again crushed - our hopes dashed against the rocks. We were allowed at that point to give him Avastin + CPT11 and we traveled to Toronto to learn about and obtain DCA. We started the DCA after intensive study and discussion. Jack is an amazing person. He is now very sensitive to others - very empathetic. He cries when a movie has a sad part or the music paints gloom or when two people kiss or the family is together once again. He still owns the hearts of everyone he has touched. He always says "I'm doing good" when you ask him when he is able to answer. His spirit of perseverance is exemplary to us all. He notes when he is sad yet always emphasizes when he has returned to happiness after the shadow has passed. It usually only takes a few minutes. He knows that his condition effects everyone else and he is taking care of us and himself. That is Jack. Simply amazing. I'm proud to be Jack's dad. I love him very much. In addition to his parents Craig and Megan, Jack is further survived by his maternal grandparents, Gerry Parke and Jotha Gable Munn; his paternal grandparents, Carl Gustave and Wilda Regelman Sundberg; his five year old sister, Robynn Makayla Sundberg; his 28 year old brother, Christian Craig Sundberg; and his 26 year old sister, Lauree Jane Sundberg; his aunt, Sallee Rabenold and her husband Gregg; and cousins and his Aunt Caitlin Munn and his Aunt Colleen Munn. Friends may call at the Burton Westlake Funeral Home 3801 West 26th Street at Powell Avenue today from 2 to 5 and 7 to 9 p.m. and are invited to attend services at Luther Memorial Church 225 West 10th Street on Tuesday at 10 a.m. with the Reverend David A. Connor officiating. Burial will be at Laurel Hill Cemetery. Memorials may be made to Make A Wish Foundation of PA 2022 West 38th Street Erie, PA 16508; the John Kanzius Cancer Research Foundation 915 State Street Erie, PA 16501; or to a cancer research organization of one's choice. Send condolences at www.Burtonfuneralhome.com.
06-01-2008
Written by Christian Sundberg, Jack's older brother:
Today, June 1st 2008, at approximately 6:20 AM, Jack won his battle as he passed from this life into the care of our Loving God. After a valiant fight through the night Jack finally allowed himself to be at peace. Up until his final moments on Earth, Jack taught us all the unbreakable power of love and the tenacity of the human spirit. Many mourn that someone so young had to go through what Jack did. But as one close friend put it, "Jack lived a TON of life in three years." Truly, he did - and he touched more people in his short life than many aged people do. We give thanks to the Father that he now lives without cancer or pain in a care beyond our understanding.
The prayers of countless people around the world have been felt sincerely by all of us. Everyone who has followed Jack's story and supported us so faithfully has been a testament to the inherent goodness in humanity. We are thankful that we have had the opportunity to be shown it.
Jack has been a blessing to all of us. We know that at this very moment he is enjoying a new and wonderful existence, one which he truly deserves. We must remember this as we mourn! The miracle is that against all understanding, God loves us and by His grace we need not fear death. The miracle is that death had no chance against Jack. The miracle is that right now Jack lives on, healthy and fulfilled, in Heaven. That is no less than the perfect victory to Jack's battle.
With love, peace, and thanks to all of you and thanks foremost to our Almighty God.
Services for Jack are as follows:
- Viewings are on Monday, June 2nd, between 2pm and 3pm for close family. Everyone else may visit between 3pm to 5pm and again between 7pm to 9pm. The funeral home is Burton Funeral Home located at 3801 West 26th Street, Erie, PA 16506.
- The funeral service will be held Tuesday, June 3rd, at 10am at Luther Memorial Church located at 225 West 10th Street, Erie, PA 16501.
- Burial will follow the funeral at Laurel Hill Cemetery located at 4523 Love Road, Erie, PA 16506.
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