I grew up in a small town. In fact the subdivision that I live in now has almost the same population as the entire town that I grew up in. I use to think that being in a larger city would result in a "lost in the crowd" situation. That may be true some places, but not in Baton Rouge. While there are a lot of people I don't know and places I've never been, there is still a real sense of community and a connection felt with those people that you don't even know. I feel that connection now to a family that is suffering - the Hess family. Coach Brian Hess is the head men's basketball coach at Woodlawn High School. That is the school from which both of my kids graduated. Coach Hess was there Bekah's senior year, but I have never met him.

About a week before Christmas the WHS basketball team was in Lake Charles for a tournament. An assistant coach, Coach Hess and I believe 4 players were in a van that was hit almost head on by another vehicle. All of the van passengers except Coach Hess received fairly minor injuries. Coach Hess however has been in a coma ever since. From reading their Caring Bridge journal I believe it is a medically induced coma, but there is brain swelling and they are just not sure what type of neurological shape he is in.

The family seems to have a lot of support from many friend. They have great faith that God will get them through this. I have thought about and prayed for this family all through this season. He is a young man, with a young wife and a baby that just had his first Christmas with his dad in a coma.

Please pray for Coach Hess, his family and the others involved in the accident.