Christopher Mendes TBI page and Updates

04/28/2024

As of yesterday christopher has been gone for 2 1/2 years. I feel like it's been much longer sense I heard his voice or felt his hug...and in a unreal sense, it feels like just weeks ago he was taken from us. I'll never get over the trauma he endured. I'll never get over watching my son slowly die right before my eyes. I'm not sure the nightmares will ever subside.
I am still learning how to move forward one day at a time. I'm sad he never got justice. I'm sad he didn't have a chance. I'm still devastated that every day is without him physically here with us.
It's a horrible reality to live happily, when deep down your broken and your heart combats your will to have happiness and hope every single day. But I'm trying....
I love you Christopher Andrew! I know your with me keeping me strong. Thank you

11/11/2022

My baby boys headstone is placed finally. It doesn't have his picture yet...but its absolutely beautiful. I think he would have loved the heart with the music note in it.
A lot of soul searching and tears went into what I wanted to put on it...and in the end this is what we chose. I hope I did him proud.

I love you with all my heart and soul Christopher and I miss you more then words could ever express.

10/26/2022

A lot of people have reached out to me and asked about christophers headstone and also wondering if there is going to be a memorial of any kind. With tomorrow being 1 year since we said goodbye to Christopher, I wanted to let everyone know that his headstone is being worked on. The ground slab has already been poured and we are just waiting to find out when the stone will be placed. I will definitely take pictures and post them when that happens.
I wasn't going to post these pictures because I was really hoping it would of been placed by tomorrow....but since it hasn't here you go.

As far as a memorial tomorrow... nothing has actually been planned. I will be picking up the kids from school and doing a balloon release at 4pm. If anyone would like to join us your more then welcome.

Christopher's time of death was 3:03 pm. At 3:03 pm his heart beat for the very last time for him and began to beat for someone else. Please keep Christopher in your thoughts as well as his recipients. 💚💚💚
Thank you all for your continued love and support for my son, the rest of my children, myself and for eachother. We were all so blessed to have him in our lives and are blessed to have all of you.

Remember to wear green for TBI victims and survivor's 💚

~Becca~

04/10/2022

Tomorrow is 6 months since Christopher got hurt. Sometimes it seems like it was just yesterday and sometimes it feels like it's been forever sense I held my son in my arms. It's still completely unreal. It feels like I'm just waiting for him to come home after being gone for a really long time.
Today I received a letter from his heart recipient. Until now we have only received updates about his organ recipients...which has been Great. So...receiving his letter on the eve of 6 months of this nightmare was quite a shock. He reached out through Live On Nebraska, saying that he's doing awesome and there has been no signs of rejection. He said he wanted to reach out much sooner but had no idea how to put into words how much he appreciates the gift he received and how sad he is by our loss.....and would like to meet us so we can hear the heart that he gets to hear and is keeping him alive. Charlie and I just stood in the kitchen and cried together. I was more then a little speachless.
It makes me so incredibly proud of my son to chose to give life in the event that his life should end. It doesn't really make me feel any better to know pieces of him live on because i dont have him here with us...but it does make me happy that I could fulfill his last wishes and it does make me happy that there are people out there that got their miracle despite that fact that Chris didn't get his.

So...I'm gonna write him back. I think its important. I think it's important for the recipients healing process and ours.

💚💚💚

01/14/2022

When we had to close out the checking account for Christopher the kids asked what we were going to do with his money.
I said"i don't know but I think it should go to something really special "
Hunter said "let me guess...his head stone?"
I said "no! That's my responsibility! No! Something special we will have forever. But I just don't know what to do!"
Hunter said " let's find someone who can do a portrait of him!"

This was amazing. Hunter really never talks about bubba. So for him to suggest such a beautiful thing just hit me...

So now I'm looking for someone that can do a portrait of chris. Any suggestions?

01/08/2022

Found a spot for the pictures of Christopher from his funeral and his donate life flag. 🙂😢

It makes me happy to be able to look up and see his face all over.... but it pains me to the core of my being to look up and know that's the only way I can see my son.

Life is so unfair... not just because I lost my son... but because losing him has left ME lost. I didn't think it was possible to miss someone so much that it's physically hurts.

I miss his face so much. I miss his voice so much. I miss the presence of him being here. I miss him constantly being silly and driving me crazy. I miss him constantly singing. I miss him saying "I love you mom" .... never saying it in a rush even when he was in a hurry, or being embarrassed to say it even around his friends or in public and the fact that more often then not... he would say it with a smile on his face.

I hate that the exceptance of losing him means I'm just existing in life without him. I hate that the exceptance of losing him means I have to except that I have lost him.

12/11/2021

I miss my nephew so much.
Normally we do red lights on our Christmas tree, today I took them off and put on green light for to honor !

11/28/2021

From Rebecca:

Yesterday I recieved a package in the mail from Live On Nebraska regarding the recipients of Christopher's donation. I found myself crying and smiling at the same time as I read the letter. I'm so proud of my son for making such a mature and wise decision at the age of only 16 years old.. to help save the lives of others in the event that his life ends.

As horrible as all of this has been... the silver linings in this for me really are...
1. I know my son didn't suffer. He spent 17 days peacefully sleeping while he fought for his life.
2. I know that his passing was also peaceful and I was told it was the fastest they had seen. 9 minutes total from the time of his last breath tell his last heart beat. ( I believe that includes the 5 minutes they have to legally wait to be able to call a time of death to make sure his heart didn't beat again because his heart was young, healthy and strong)
3. Because his passing was fast.. all of his organs were able to be harvested in the appropriate amount of time needed and were donatable.
4. I was able to help make sure his dying wish was carried through and it was an honor to do so for him.
5. I know even though I do not have my son physically here with me anymore... parts of him are out out there alive and well....
6. I know my son would made an amazing husband and father...he never got that chance. But there is a father out there that has my sons heart.... and he's extremely lucky because if one things for sure... that heart is gonna love those kids like crazy.

( I do not know yet if this is the only info I recieve on the recipients or if I will recieve more)

10/31/2021

Funeral services for Christopher Mendes. Services wil be at church of the holy spirit in Plattsmouth, Nebraska.
Rosery at 7pm
Saturday November 6th...
Funeral service 10 am then followed by graveside service at Oakhill cemetery.

10/30/2021

We are almost done making arrangements and will announce very soon.
We understand that a lot of you would like to come to the funeral, it will be open to the public.

We cannot thank you all enough for being on this beautiful and heartbreaking journey with us and Christopher! We will never forget what you have done for our family in our time of need!

I would like to get the GoFundMe pushed one more time, we are so close to having the funeral paid for! I just would love for this to be one less worry for My sister and her family.

https://gofund.me/0d0460cf

Well...another uneventful night with low numbers, no high peaks and no neurologic fever... they t… Leilani Obrien needs your support for Help for Christopher

10/29/2021

I can't believe I have to say this.
I will delete and ban anyone who goes into details about the accident, any speculation and any naming of names.
You were not there, any of you! Anything you post is clearly hearsay.
Please have some respect for my Sister and our Family.
Condolences are welcomed, theories are most definitely not!

10/27/2021

We thank you all so much!

https://gofund.me/43043aed