Tonight in the youth pastor’s meeting at Student Life I heard a story that brought me and many other men and women to tears.
One of the leaders from Student Life told us a story of a family in Birmingham who had a son named Tucker. At seven years old, Tucker was diagnosed with Leukemia. He became a believer about a year ago at the age of eight, and the cancer persisted and progressed in his little body.
Now, at the age of nine, the cancer was at bringing about the inevitable conclusion of death; a conclusion of which Tucker was becoming more and more afraid. Last night, his health had gone downhill and he and his family knew that he was close to death. As the night went on he was in his bed gasping for breath, each one becoming more and more laborious due to the cancer that was consuming his lungs.
At around 11:00 p.m., Tucker’s parents began to sense a spiritual, angelic presence in the room with them. Tucker’s gasps for air ceased and his breathing became more and more normal. At around 1:00 a.m., Tucker sat up in his bed and looked at the wall and said, “Who are you?” His parents understood that Tucker noticed a new visitor with his spiritual eyes, one that they could not sense. Fear started to grow inside of him as Tucker seemed to sense this other person’s presence. Seeing his fear, they responded to Tucker,
If it is Jesus, you can go to Him.
Feeling the affirmation of his heart at the presence of his Savior, Tucker said to Jesus,
I want to go with you.
Then, with his parents watching him, the last words his parents ever heard him say were to Jesus,
How far do we have to go?
It was almost as if Tucker was reaching out to take hold of the extended hand of Jesus, and as he took His hand spiritually, Tucker breathed his last breath here on earth and passed out of this world and into the next.
I am so thankful for the testimony of this nine year old little boy that went to be with Jesus on the morning of May 31, 2009. It has made me praise God for His faithfulness and the trustworthiness of His promises. He truly is good and His mercy endures forever!