“For the First Time, We Aren’t Different!”

Seven-year-old Braden and his twin brother Thatcher were born prematurely at only 27 weeks gestation. Both had severe brain bleeds, but while Braden seemed to recover from his traumatic birth, Thatcher’s story is quite different. He has cerebral palsy, seizures and significantly impaired vision. Thatcher can understand everything that others say to him, but he can only say a handful of words.

As it often is with twins, Braden and Thatcher are inseparable.

In fact, the two brothers were alone together when Thatcher had his first seizure. That seizure, which lasted for an unbelievable 90 minutes, was terrifying for both Thatcher and Braden. Since then, Braden keeps his brother in his line of sight as much as possible. That’s an awful lot of responsibility for a seven-year-old to impose upon himself, and it speaks volumes about the incredible bond that Thatcher and Braden share.

When the boys’ parents, Tanner and Lauren, brought them to our Tennessee Family Retreat, both Thatcher and Braden were able to have fun and experience the love of Christ – together and apart. Each brother had his own Family Retreat buddy who safeguarded their every activity and made sure they had the time of their lives. Thatcher was able to fully experience all that Family Retreat had to offer because – like all of our programs and events – it was completely wheelchair accessible. And Braden was able to trust that he could take his eyes off his brother so he could enjoy all aspects of Family Retreat, too, knowing that his twin was happy and safe.

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.”

Colossians 3:15

For Tanner and Lauren, the best part of Family Retreat was that no one stared at them or made them feel inferior.

“It’s been different in that, for the first time, we aren’t different. We don’t have to explain what it’s like to have Thatcher, or why we look so tired,” shares Tanner. He and Lauren were finally able to relax and focus on being a couple, knowing that their boys were well cared for and having non-stop fun.

When we asked Tanner and Lauren to describe their Family Retreat experience, Tanner reached back to his college days and said, “There’s an old saying at Texas A & M: ‘From the outside, you can’t understand it. From the inside, you can’t explain it.’ That’s what Family Retreat has been like for us.”

Truly, Family Retreat has been life-changing for Thatcher and Braden, as well as for Tanner and Lauren. Through Family Retreat, they’ve all been given new perspectives and renewed hope for the year ahead.

No wonder Tanner asked, “Now, can we go ahead and sign up for the rest of our lives?”