We are his biggest fan

On June 19, 2012 the world lost an angel and heaven is dancing and singing as Mason Smedley received his wings.  Wings to fly, wings to dance, float, sing, and be in no pain.  Five years ago Mason's father Damon came to Abacus in need of tables and chairs.  The Smedley family had been working on a fundraiser in hopes of finding a cure for a disease called Juvenile Myositis which is a rare autoimmune disease that affects approximately 17,000 children and adults, and nearly 1,000 new cases are diagnosed in the US every year. JM causes a variety of debilitating symptoms including:

•   Muscle weakness and pain

•   Severe fatigue

•   Rashes

•   Swallowing and digestive difficulties

•   Lung and heart problems

•   Vasculitic ulcers

•   Calcinosis

Pauline and I were thrilled each year to support Mason and his family in the Cure JM event.  We looked forward to Damon's phone call each August.  The first year we took tables and chairs to the Hillsboro stadium and then delivered them the next day to the princess party in downtown Portland.  It was over 100 degrees and I got pinned in the back of the truck against the liftgate and with tables bearing down on me.  I kept waiting for some strong man to come and rescue me.  That princess party taught me how to properly secure my tables in the heat! 

I spent the day in Hillsboro Wednesday delivering chairs for Mason's memorial service.  The memories from the princess party fiasco, from setting up at the stadium each year and seeing it grow into a HUGE event, as well as Mason smiling at me in my little store front in Vancouver all washed over me.  Our event company has grown 100% year over year - but that first year when Mason showed up means the most to me.  It was all I could do not to burst into tears when I walked into our office at the grand opening and Damon and Mason were there with Abby.  They came all the way from Hillsboro to support my little dream.  That's the kind of family they are.  They show up.  They believe in miracles.  They love big, work hard, and don't take life for granted.  What a blessing to have been a witness to such a force.  Abacus now has a real working warehouse at a commercial building, an inventory that we can hardly contain, and we continue to grow.  I like to think it's because we invest in dreamers and we all dream together.  Thank you to the Smedley family for giving us an insight into your family and your dreams.  We will beat this thing!!!  http://www.curejm.com/