Injured wrestler's family expresses gratitude

Editor's note: Luke Hampton, an Alleghany (N.C.) High School senior, is recovering from a spinal cord injury after breaking his neck during a wrestling match last year. Hampton hit a wall, breaking two vertebrae.

We have been abundantly blessed with so much love and support from family, friends and even strangers. It’s been overwhelming.
How do we respond to all the love, prayers, generosity and genuine compassion? Everything seems so surreal.
In an effort to thank each of you, we felt we would publish this letter of gratitude.
Since Luke’s accident on Dec. 3, I have learned that it didn’t just happen to Luke.
All our loved ones, siblings, parents, extended families, friends and neighbors have been affected. The days immediately following Luke’s injury were a blur.
I understood the enormity, but could hardly hold up under the heartbreak. I know now that it isn’t the small things in life that matter. Life can change in the blink of an eye.
Our lives will be forever changed because of this heartbreaking experience.
Please accept our heartfelt thanks. We are deeply touched by what we’ve seen and heard being done for Luke and our family. Please continue to pray for Luke as he travels this difficult journey.
I have found that God — Who promises to help anyone who calls on Him in times of trouble — is where I’ve gained the most comfort, assurance and strength to get through each day.
For some reason, the very “best” comes out in people when tragedy strikes. People from all over the world have contacted Luke.
Compassionate people are those who feel the pain of others. You have done that with us.
All of you continue to encourage my heart and strengthen my confidence towards the human spirit.
Even though we weren’t in Alleghany [County, N.C.] to witness the community coming together, it was a beautiful thing to share with you all.
We don’t know what Luke’s future looks like – only God knows.
So many people have been blessed through his tragedy and he has touched so many lives already. As a result of all the love we’ve received from others, we will live a life more fully than before.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts and may you all be blessed as you have blessed us!
Benita and Randy Hampton
Sparta, N.C.