In the solitary and often grueling journey of a family fighting childhood cancer, there are things that become more precious than medicine itself. One of those things is presence. Not the fleeting presence that appears when a diagnosis is first announced, but the stubborn, persistent presence that remains through the longest, darkest months. Today, I want to take a moment to honor a man who embodies that consistency: Rick Karle Good News.
1. The Harsh Reality of Time and the Invisible Fade
When you first receive a cancer diagnosis for your child, the world seems to stop. Inquiries flood in, phones ring incessantly, and promises of prayer saturate your inbox. In that moment, your pain is the epicenter of everyone’s world. But there is a brutal truth that only those living this life truly understand: cancer is a war of attrition.
It doesn’t last days or weeks; it lasts months and years. And by the natural laws of life, after the initial shock wears off, the world begins to return to its normal rhythm. People move on—not because they are cold-hearted, but because they are human. They have jobs, families, and their own burdens. They go back to “normal life,” while our family remains trapped in this agonizing reality every single hour.
The feeling of being forgotten in the middle of a war is a specific kind of ache. It makes you feel like you are screaming in a vacuum. This is why, when someone refuses to look away—when someone refuses to be swept up in the tide of indifference—they become a true lighthouse.
2. Rick Karle: The Keeper of the Update
Rick Karle isn’t a member of our biological family, but he has chosen to walk alongside Will in a way that is nothing short of extraordinary. He never lets more than a couple of weeks pass without sending a message. It’s often a simple check-in: “How is Will?”, “How is the family holding up?”, “Do you have an update I can share for prayers?” But behind those short messages is a massive heart.
Rick works hours on end, painstakingly writing updates and sharing the heartaches of families like mine, Nichole Blevins, Madeline Staples, Holly Walton Henderson, and so many others. He transforms his platform into a bridge—a place where stories of suffering are converted into the power of support. He doesn’t just report news; he nurtures a community of compassion.
3. “Standing in the Gap”
There is a phrase that stays with me whenever I think of Rick’s work: “He stands in the gap.”
In the Bible and in ancient times, the “gap” was a breach in a wall where the city was vulnerable. To stand in the gap meant to defend a weak point when others were too tired or unable to do so. On the days when I am too exhausted to even pick up my phone, when the pain is so heavy that words feel like lead in my mouth, Rick is there.
He tells the story when we have no voice. He rallies the troops when our spirits are flagging. He reminds the world: “Do not forget these children; they are still fighting!” Many times, when I feel my own hope thinning, I read the words he writes and the comments from the “prayer warriors” he has summoned, and I feel lifted. Rick fills the void between our isolation and the world’s kindness.
4. The Power of the “Good News” Community
I also want to extend my deepest thanks to all of you—the followers of Rick Karle. You are not just anonymous faces on a screen; you are the “village” that is sustaining Will.
Thank you for not scrolling past the posts about heartache. Thank you for choosing to stop and write a word of encouragement, for crying when we cry, and for truly rejoicing when we receive a piece of good news. In a world often defined by negativity and division, the kindness you show families like ours is the brightest evidence of humanity’s goodness.
Because of the new and seasoned prayer warriors Rick connects us with, we feel a layer of spiritual armor around us. Each of your prayers is a brick in the wall that protects Will against the onslaught of this disease.
5. A Promise to Keep Moving Forward
The dedication of Rick Karle and his community reminds me that we are not alone. It reminds me that no matter how long this journey takes, or how harsh the “prison camp” of the hospital becomes, there are hands stretched out to catch us.
To Rick: Thank you for never failing us. Thank you for the hours you spend ensuring that the voices of childhood cancer families are never silenced. You are more than a journalist; you are a brother in faith and a guardian of broken hearts.
To the community: Please keep standing with us. Do not let the “desensitization” of daily life dim your eyes to those who still need your help. Will is still fighting, and with people like Rick Karle standing in the gap, we know we will never have to fight in silence.
Thank you for crying with us. Thank you for rejoicing with us. And above all, thank you for loving Will.
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