Family grateful to all who supported bone marrow drive

We would like to thank you for the recent coverage of, and editorial support for, the bone marrow drive for our son, Justin, the Navy SEAL. With your help in getting the news out, the C.W. Bill Young Department of Defense Marrow Drive was able to register more than 1,300 potential donors.

Not only can we count those who registered in Spotswood, but because of your coverage in the Sentinel and Suburban, the word was picked up and eventually spread internationally. We had contacts from Italy, Germany, Denmark, Poland and Belgium. Hopefully, from the numbers involved, we will find a donor for Justin and hopefully several others.

We thank you for spreading the word; however, our most sincere heartfelt thanks go out to each and every individual who took time out of their busy lives to come and unselfishly give of themselves to help another person, sometimes someone they only knew of as someone in need. It is the greatest gift one can possibly give. We are ever so grateful also to all the local merchants who were only too glad to display posters telling of the drive. To those merchants who refused to display the posters, we can only pray that you will never have to depend on others to give you the gift of life.

Our son, Justin, and his wife were able to attend the drive late in the day. Justin just wanted to thank as many people as he could personally and is ever so thankful and grateful for every single individual who came out, particularly the three persons who drove all the way from Virginia to help someone who they knew only from news coverage.

We must also thank the Spotswood police for their assistance, the Spotswood Board of Education and Saint Peter's University Hospital Community Mobile Health Services.

And to all those who came and were willing to participate but for age or health reasons were unable to register, thank you so much and may you continue to pray for Justin and all others who need such help.

Dianne and Charlie

Justin's parents

Kim and Jodi

Justin's sisters

Spotswood