Chris is a 10-year-old boy who is currently paralyzed from the waist down after being hit by a stray bullet while attending a piano lesson on January 10th, 2008. Chris and his family face a difficult road ahead, and will need all the support and donations you can give. This blog is dedicated to keeping the public informed about how to help.
How Can I Help Chris?
- Deposit your donation at any Wells Fargo branch: cash or check made payable to "Christopher G. Rodriguez" (reference Trust Account No. 7013202606)
38 comments:
I'm inspired by Chris and his family. His parents have every right to be angry and bitter, yet even under the glare of the lights and cameras and the goading of journalists, they are are full of love and compassion. I'm sending prayers and a little money as a gesture of thanks for their example, and as a reminder to them that their family is in the hearts of many people, far and near. Stay strong Chris, and blessings on you.
I am sending a check in to help with purchase of a van.
May Chris grow up to be a strong and happy person.
I am impressed with the results of the bake sale! If 5th graders can do that, I certainly can send Chris some much-needed financial help. And Chris, I hope you keep playing piano and percussion and whatever other instruments your talented heart takes you to!
Chris, Your story has touched our hearts becouse we have a boy your age and as kind hearted as you. We go to youth group weekly. Ill ask for a special prayer for you and your family. here a scripture that helps me every time. Mark 11, 24-25. God Bless.
Chris is a very fine outstanding young man. I have been taken with this tradegy from the very beginning. I, feel like he is one of my own children. Like his parents, I will pray everyday, constansly, for the miracle of a complete recovery everyday.
My heart goes out to Christopher and his family. We live in a nearby community and were heartbroken to hear of this senseless act. I hope Christopher knows how many people are fighting for him--and how his story has touched people far and wide. I have a son Christophers age so this hit particularly hard. I agree with anonymous--Christopher's parents are an inspiration. We will be making a donation in the account this week to help out with expenses.
I have a five year-old son, this is a nightmare. I will send financial support today. We pray that Chris realize that ignorance is blind but that love uplifts all.
I have a 11-year old son and I am terribly sorry about what happened to Chris. His story touched my heart.
I am sending some support in the hope that he will carry on with his kid's life and pursue his piano dreams.
I would like to transmit to the family my warmest feelings.
You can overcome the evil and stupidity in people simply by recognizing the love around you. Chris, although it will be hard, you will be fine because of the strength and good that is already in you. I wish you nothing but the best and as you grow keep in mind that if a bullet couldnt stop you, nothing ever can. Stay strong, faithful, and positive. My prayers are with you and your family.
Hey there, great job with the bake sale and I'm very proud of you Chris for being a strong human being. My Dad is also in a wheelchair in a similar incident but that never stopped him from doing what he loves. Keep up the great work with the Piano. You'll be in my prayers. God Bless.
SCI.Rutgers.EDU is a forum for people with spinal cord injuries and their families. Lots of topics on there, from "New SCI" to "Exercise" to "Care" to "Caregivers" and lots of others. Lots of parents on there, as well.
Hey Chris,
I wish you Well. No kid should go through this.
Stay Strong, Peter C.
Hi Chris,
I am a mother of a 16 year old daughter and my heart goes out to you. I encourage you to think positive and not accept what the doctors are telling you. God heals and he is nearer to you than ever before. Call out to Him and believe that He will heal you. His word says that he will heal you. Exodus 15:26 "for I am the Lord that heals you."
Chris you and your family represent everything that is right about our country. The guy who pulled that trigger represents just the opposite. Use the money that people like myself are sending into the trust fund to set yourself up so you can keep on being a bright shining star that we can all look up to. Thousands of people you don't even know instantly learned to love you when we heard what happended. In that sense you've already made the world a better place.
Please contact me regarding setting up a free web donation page for Chris. I work for www.acteva.com, and we will waive all fees, and you get a webpage which can process credit card payments. You could post the link on a page just like this. I went to Crocker Highlands myself.
Billy Mutch
bmutch@acteva.com
415.962.9040 (w)
Thank you so much, Mr. Mutch. We will try to get in contact with you soon.
Hey, Chris! It's Lauren from school! I am confident that you will be a very strong person frrom now, onto the rest of your life. I miss you!
To the Rodriguez Family,
I have been deeply saddened by your family's tragedy. I live around the corner from the Music School and I am a mother of two boys, a 5th grader and 2nd grader. Your strength and courage is to be commended and it is what will push Christopher through to a bright future. As a family, we will all be contributing to your trust account, but wish we could do more. Please know that you are in our hearts...
Hey Chris, it's Taylor and Ryan! We just wanted you to know that we are very sorry to hear about your incident but we hope that with all the blessings and prayers being said you will grow to be as strong as possible and continue to play music and follow your dreams! Also Taylor's friends from Edna Brewer wish you and your family well. They hope that you will soon be okay. With more prayers heading your way Taylor and Ryan!
Hello Friends of Chris:
I work at the Oakland Youth Chorus--Chris used to sing in one of our choruses at Crocker. We would like to hold a benefit concert for Chris in March, but I don't want to bother Chris' family right now to ask them if it's OK. Is there some one out there I can talk to who is friends with the family to make sure this is OK?
Thanks,
Sharon Dolan
sharon@oaklandyouthchorus.org
287-9700 x103
Dear Chris and Family: I have been following your story in the news. I rarely comment on blogs, but I felt I had to this time. I am a musician, too, and hope that as you regain your strength, you will keep playing all the music you can. The world needs your gifts! I will be sending a donation to help you and your family.
I am saddened but yet inspired by Chris and his family. It is not easy to forgo anger and bitterness, but the Rodriguez family has shown us great strength and faith at a most tragic time. I want to follow in the example set by these strong people, and keep my thoughts and prayers hopeful for this gifted and beautiful young man. Let's all help this family heal.
Sharon, we will let Chris's family know about your offer, and try to get in touch with you soon. Thank you very much.
I'm contacting from Visión Hispana Newspaper. We're printing a brief story about Christopher tomorrow and may want to do another article in the near future. Can we use a photo of Christopher from this site for publication in the newspaper?
Thanks,
Elena Miramar
Tel: 510-865-6274
elena@VisionHispanaUSA.com
Elena, we will pass your inquiry onto Chris's family, and try to get back to you soon.
Chris and family, be tough. You will do fine. You have lots of help there at the hospital and you have a lot of prayers being said for you. Also, many new friends and your old friends are all sending you a little something to help you get a van and get your house remodeled, also I hope you can get a keyboard and a computer if you don't already have those.
Chris, work hard with the therapists and you will soon be very strong in your arms. You will be able to study and go back to school, you maybe can play basketball again and also do other sports.
Stay sweet and spend your energy in a positive way. I know it isn't so easy to do but try, in your mind, to forgive Jared Adams. He also needs prayer, as he has done some terrible, terrible things and has hurt you and lots of other people. And now he has to live with knowing that he did those terrible things. He will probably go to prison, where the other prisoners are going to beat him up for causing you such hurt. In order to be the criminal that he is, he is either mentally sick or he has had some terrible things happen to him, too, that made him the way he is.
Make up your mind to forgive him, even if you don't feel like forgiving him. Make a good decision and say some prayers for him. Doing that will help free up your energy to focus on your therapy, your exercise, school, and music, and everything good that you still have.
I have also had to forgive people who have hurt me a lot and I know it's not easy but I also know it frees us from the weight of hating those who hurt us. God Himself promises to pay back those who hurt us. And God is working now through all of your nurses and doctors and your friends and teachers and all of us who don't know you but who care about you. He is directing us on how we can raise money to help you and your family make the adjustments you will be making.
You will be fine, Chris. You're a wonderful young man and I know your parents are wonderful people, too. I pray for them to be able to do everyting that they have to do to stay healthy, in their bodies and in their minds, too.
May God richly, richly bless you, dear Chris.
Love and Blessings,
Polly
I would like to offer/donate my services (Feldenkrais Method) to Christopher. I can also rustle up fellow practitioners, and we can work/coordinate with his therapists.
Please contact me for me more information
Jan
jan@moves-to-improve.com
Jan, thank you for the offer. We will let Chris's family know.
My heart goes out to Chris & his family. When I first heard of this terrible trajedy, I wanted to do something but didn't know what or how. Thanks to KFRC106.9FM, that problem was solved last Friday as I happily donated to Chris's fund. I can only hope and pray that Chris makes a full recovery and no matter what, keeps playing the piano. Stay strong Rodriguez family!!
As the mother of two former Crocker Highlands students who both studied piano, I am deeply upset by what happened to Chris. It's really inspiring how the community has pulled together on this. Chris sounds like a great kid with a lot of caring friends. I wish him the best, and will be glad to make a donation.
Like so many people across the Bay Area, I was deeply saddened by Chris' tragedy. As I watched his parents on the nightly news, I was motivated to do something for this child and family who have handled this devastating turn of events with such dignity and grace.
I have been an elementary teacher for twenty years and always try to instill in my students compassion for others. Hence "Coins for Christopher". Today was our Student Council's first day of collecting coins for Chris. The grand total was $283 and we still have a week to go! We hope that our final contribution will let Chris and his family know that 500 children at our school have him in our thoughts and our hearts.
Chris,
You seem like such a cool person. I'm a stranger but I'm rooting for you.
I'm sending a little donation too. Love to you and your parents.
MY HEART GOES OUT TO CHRISTOPHER AND ALL HIS FAMILY MY SON IS ALSO TEN AND ATTENDS CROCKER HIGHLANDS, IN FACT HE IS IN THE SAME BASKETBALL TEAM CHRIS WAS IN. WHEN HE TOLD ME IT JUST BROKE MY HEART. I WILL BE DONATING NEXT WEEL AND I HOPE WITH ALL MY HEART THAT CHRIS FINDS THE STRENGTH AND COURAGE TO DO EVERYTHING HE LOVES. I WILL KEEP CHRIS AND FAMILY IN MY PRAYERS.
Dear Chris,
I think about you a lot and know that your inner strength will help you in days to come. May God bless you.
Dear Chris,
We are an assisted living community for seniors, and we have been selling See's candy to help out in any way we can. We BELIEVE you WILL walk again, and want you and your family to know that our thoughts and prayers are with you and you are an inspiration!
Through our "Coins for Christopher" drive, Morello Park Elementary is pleased to have donated $1940 to help Chris and his family. Our thoughts continue to be with you all.
Your family is very inspirational. I know we will continue to hear about Chris as he grows up into a talented, sensitive man.
ps - have you considered accepting donations via PayPal? This would be very easy for your donors!
Chris, I am praying for you and we are sending some money to help however you need it. May you receive all that you need to keep bravely going down this road that you did not choose. You have a big community around you!
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