A new found love with Cole RuotsalaBy Beth WhiteHave you ever had a connection with someone that was so incredible and so amazing that they completely changed your life in a way you never thought possible? Well that is what happened to Cole Ruotsala and I. I heard about Cole through a caringbridge friend of mine in the summer of 2008. I saw his picture and instantly fell in love. Not just any kind of love but a love that defies a life changing event. That’s when I found out Cole was diagnosed with childhood cancer. Unfortunately this sweet little boy lost his battle on September 19th; after a short 8 week fight. My life would never be the same. It was while driving along the Wisconsin roads (on my way to Wisconsin Dells for a family vacation) that I realized just how much this little boy and his family meant to me. Its crazy, the feelings and emotions I have towards the Ruotsala family and I haven’t even met them. What does Cole mean to me? I’ve never met sweet Cole but his inspiration is so overwhelming and just about impossible to put into words. Cole taught me never to take people for granted, that in a blink of an eye anything can happen. Cole taught me never to question God’s doing and that he has a plan for all of us. Cole taught me that we are in this great big world together and that we all need to stick together and “BE THERE for each other. Cole taught me not to count the days, but to make the days count. Cole taught me to Hug a little tighter, love a little longer, and don't forget to "Be There" because tomorrow you nor they may not "Be Here." This is the legacy of Cole. In October of 2008 Aaron Ruotsala (Cole’s daddy) created a foundation to keep Cole’s legacy alive. C.O.L.E.s Foundation (www.colesfoundation.com) is not just a foundation but more like a family. A family that offers prayer, support, awareness, friendship, and so much more. C.O.L.E.’s Foundation stands for Caring Openly, Loving Eternally and it is a wonderful foundation and I am so honored to be apart of it. Please take a minute to look at Cole’s caringbridge website and C.O.L.E.’s Foundation. Drop them a line of encouragement. You never know if you’ll ever need the C.O.L.E.’s Foundation Prayer Team to “Be There”. From Cole's Dad: "When life was at its bottom, we had no place else to turn, no other place to direct our focus, but up. Life changed so fast. Everything was suddenly stopped. All the hustle and bustle of this world stopped in an instant. We realized how little we are tied to this life and how much our focus needs to be to things that matter. Things that have the ability to change our eternal resting place. God Bless, Aaron and Moireen"
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