This page has been created for the Rick Pearson Memorial Fund, an account created to channel funds into various ministries and organizations that were championed by Rick.JOURNAL ENTRY CDS NOW FOR SALE ONLINE! CLICK TO PURCHASE:all proceeds go directly to the Rick Pearson Memorial Fund
For those of you who are new to the story, a shortened version goes something like this: Rick Pearson, a 23 year old music pastor at a church in North Georgia, was leading worship at a camp in Panama City Beach Florida last summer when he started feeling unreasonably fatigued. At first his thoughts, as well as others, were that he was just dehydrated. When the fatigue didn't go away, he left Florida and went back to Georgia to figure out what was wrong. The diagnoses' went from dehydration to food poisoning, to Hepatitis to Lymphoma... then to the actual cause of the problem: Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Rick was admitted into the cancer ward of Northside Hospital on August 4th, followed by an assortment of undesirable tests and drugs.
His spirits were outstanding, giving encouragement and strength to everyone else, putting smiles on the faces of everyone who visited him, especially nurses and doctors. Rick's condition seemed to improve and decline daily, with no real direction for treatment in site. On August 16th, his 23rd birthday, he was having a less-than-happy day. He managed to get a little infection in his chest which aided in the discomfort. But he kept up his smile, celebrating his life with his family and new fiance (he proposed only days earlier in the hospital!).
That night Rick had a fever to rise, eventually topping out at 106 degrees in the early hours of August 17th. His doctors placed him under a drug-induced coma so that his body could relax and quit fighting. August 16th was the last interaction Rick had with this world, at least physically! He remained in a coma until September 9th, 2005, when he was gloriously and ultimately healed by going Home to be with his Savior!
The journey of Rick's life and death is one of amazing hope and purpose, as expressed throughout the countless postings on the blog site set up to inform others of his progress ( www.rickpearson.org ). His legacy continues to reach people and challenge them to live life fully, passionately, and with the purpose of glorifying Christ.
To know more about the journey through Rick's illness, visit www.rickpearson.org and read through the archives in the "my blogs" section.
Please visit these links to learn more about the organizations supported by the Rick Pearson Memorial Fund:
::Passion Conferences::
::Mountain Lake Church::
::Bigstuf Camps::
::Compassion International::
::The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society::
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO DONATE TO THE RICK PEARSON MEMORIAL FUND, Send your donation to:
The National Christian Foundation
11625 Rainwater Drive
Suite 500
Alpharetta, GA 30004
800-681-6223 or 404-252-0100
FAX: 404-252-5177
***be sure to include "Rick Pearson Memorial" in the memo portion of your check, or attach a note that specifies the funds are for the Rick Pearson account. ***
