by Jim Boyle
Editor
Through the wonders of modern medicine and technology, Charles Gabrelcik, the lone survivor in a fatal car wreck that claimed the life of two teenagers in the early morning hours of July 6, was able to watch a prayer vigil attended by hundreds of people on Monday who gathered to pray for a miracle.
The crowd at Fresno Park in Elk River, across the street from where Gabrelcik grew up, may have gotten it.
The 17-year-old football and hockey player, who remains on a ventilator, still couldn’t breathe on his own or talk due to swelling at the base of his neck. But his appreciation and love for those in the Facetime feed was reportedly visible.
“I think it was momentous because, you know, I think when you’re in that situation, you don’t want to feel like you’re all alone,” said Tracy Tougas, Charles’ aunt. “I think all of the visuals (videos), and all of the people that have been coming down to see him ... have really been great for his recovery.”
Tougas, who was at the vigil, said she learned later Charles prayed right along with every prayer. His childhood friend Ben Hickman shared a livestream feed that went straight into the intensive care unit at HCMC in Minneapolis where the young man has been laid up in a hospital bed. Tougas said her nephew mouthed the word “wow” in sheer amazement as he watched.
Gabrelcik continues to amaze doctors and family with the progress he has made. His father, Terry Gabrelcik, posted on Facebook on July 10 that his son suffered broken vertebrae, a spinal cord injury and a severe laceration to his scalp but he had no other broken bones, internal injuries or damage to his brain.
Two surgeries went perfectly, according to the surgeons, who also discovered two other arteries, which normally aren’t there, pumping blood to his brain.
“Because of these arteries, he suffered no major blood loss to his brain or any strokes,” Terry stated in the post. “The damaged arteries cannot be repaired but that’s OK as the miracle arteries have taken over and there will be no long-term effects of not having those damaged arteries.”
Terry also stated: “Thank you to everyone for the outpouring of support, prayers, donations to the gofundme, dropping off food, just reaching out, and love. We can feel the love and it means more than you could ever know. Keep the positive energy and prayers coming, please.”
Doctors on Thursday were addressing the significant pain produced by the latest surgery.
At 3 p.m. on Thursday, July 11 Gabrelcik was listed in critical but stable condition at HCMC in Minneapolis, according to a hospital spokesperson.
“Please continue to pray for Charles to start breathing on his own as this is the next big hurdle,” Terry said. “(Charles is) still unable to move anything below his shoulders but does seem to have some sensation in his lower body. Although people with Charles have witnessed events that make us believe he has sensation, we are waiting for neurology to confirm. Charles is awake and very alert.”
Charles communicates by having someone go through the alphabet and when they say the letter he wants for the word he wants to spell, he nods his head. He also mouths “I love you” often and has a rule that anyone who visits has to give him a hug, according to the Facebook post.
“Charles’ personality still shines through and he flashes that big smile and has even cracked a few jokes,” Terry said. “As we navigate this journey, we ask that you continue to support and pray for Charles and our family. The power of prayer is working, so please keep them coming. We will be forever grateful!”
Organized by youth
The prayer night was organized by two childhood friends and the support of other peers who set out to do their best for their friend and teammate.
Jaxon Shackle, who grew up a couple of houses down from Charles, and Ben Hickman, another childhood friend and fellow football teammate, expressed thankfulness after the prayer night event.
“I think it’s a really good thing that everyone decided to come out and support Charles, even though maybe not everyone here knew him quite as well as other people,” Shackle said. “But it’s good that everyone’s here to support him in the wake of this tragedy. I’m just really glad that everyone felt in their heart that they should come out.”
Hickman called his friend strong and a fighter who wanted to be awake for the July 8 prayer event, and he was able to be after enduring an eight-plus hour surgery earlier that day to stabilize his neck with plans for a second on July 9.
“It makes me feel so happy,” Hickman said. “He loves everyone here. And he’s a people person. Most people love him to death. And he’s just always there for everyone else. And now it’s our turn to be here for him.”
Tougas provided a statement from Charles’ parents, Terry and Annie Gabrelcik, at the vigil. She said they are grateful for all the love, prayers and support from his friends in this community, and that they also said their hearts and prayers go out to the families of Anthony Krider and Donovan Gobel in this difficult time.
Shackle started the prayer vigil with a moment of silence for Tony and Donovan, who died in the July 6 crash on Highway 25 in Big Lake.
“I’m not the most well-versed person in the Bible here, and I can guarantee that,” Shackle said. “So it took me quite a while to come up with the words that I wanted to say tonight, and I want to keep it genuine, but also simple enough for a couple teenage boys that just want to help out their friend.
“The reason I think this is so important is because I’ve always heard growing up that prayer is stronger in groups. And so I tried my best to find something in the Bible that reflected that.”
He found the words in Matthew 18:20: “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there among them.”
Shackle said after reading that verse, he began to ask himself how he and Ben could get the biggest group possible to try to help Charles on his recovery journey.
“And when I asked the (Elk River) football team if they’d be interested in doing something like this, without hesitation, they all said ‘yes’ and helped spread the word,” Shackle said.
Hickman prayed for his teammate and friend and the Gabrelcik family as well as the friends and family of Tony and Donovan that “the Lord give us strength and courage to overcome this tragedy.”
He asked that Charles be free from not only his physical injuries and pain, but his mental pain.
“Lord, I also hope that you have led Donovan and Tony to their mountain and freed them from their pain.”
Others who spoke included Adam Rudnitski, Charles’ cousin Mariah, Austin Anderson, Gunner Godeen and Chloe Laforce. Charles’ brother Nate also tried to speak briefly. He also invited his youth pastor Jeff Ruch from Emmanuel Christian Center in Elk River. Ruch went next and closed out the prayer vigil.
He explained that he didn’t know Charles, but he does know Nate and knows what it is like to have brothers.
“I know the impact that brothers have on one another and even just seeing everybody here, I can see the impact that he’s had on everybody,” Ruch said.
He said the big question after tragedies like this is why, and he made clear he didn’t have that answer.
“But I can say that there can be peace in the middle of pain,” he said. “And peace comes when we pray. In Philippians, Chapter 4, it says, don’t worry about anything. Instead, pray about everything, and then you’ll experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand or ask.”
He challenged those in attendance to reflect on their lives and consider their relationship with God.
“We can all live our lives thinking like we’re invincible, thinking ... that every day is guaranteed or promised. Or we’ll get our life together next week or next month or next year and just have fun and not take life seriously,” he said. “When moments like this happen, and it kind of snaps us all back into reality that tomorrow isn’t promised for anybody.
“Take a moment to reflect on your own life,” he said. “Take a moment to get right with the Lord. In 2 Corinthians, it talks about the day for salvation is today; that’s because tomorrow isn’t promised for anyone.”
He prayed for those listening in to pray with him and to choose God.
“I want to live for you, God,” he prayed in a manner of encouraging others to do the same. “I want to make my life mean something. And I want this not to be a moment of just tragedy, but to be a moment that my life can change forever.”
Editor’s note: To visit the Stand with Charles: Support His Road to Recovery GoFundMe page, visit https://shorturl.at/IpUcY.
The Star News also hopes to do stories on the lives of Tony Krider and Donovan Gobel in a future edition or editions.
For more information on Donovan in the meantime, visit Stand with Donovan’s Family in Their Loss GoFundMe page at https://shorturl.at/sP8qv.
For more information on Tony in the meantime, visit the Remembering Tony’s legacy GoFundMe page at https://shorturl.at/OtTeV.