Haley Hammock

Josh is from a small town in South Georgia. It's one of those towns that shows up in southern literature--a square with little shops and cafes, large, beautiful homes on a tree-lined Main Street, generations of families still living there--where everybody knows everybody and the grandmas grew up with the grandmas and raised the moms and dads together who raised their kids together who are now grown ups and having kids of their own together.

Josh's parents have been friends with Janet and Kenny since high school . . . they played football together, went to ABAC together, stayed friends after they married, they've vacationed together and their 3 kids each lined up well age wise--Josh and Jacob, Jase and Gabe, Megan and Jodi Beth. Now, only in the perfect worlds we imagine in our heads at play groups do all 3 sets of kids stay best friends forever and ever amen, but the Hammocks and the Basses are important to each other.

As we grow up, we discover that it's more about stage of life than chronological age when it comes to who your friends are. Megan and Jodi Beth have stayed close, and now, all these years later, Megan and (husband) Will, Jodi and (her husband)Will, and even the older brother, Jacob and (wife) Haley have found themselves in a Sunday School class together, bonding and growing as grown ups, and, as the trend would have it, even raising some kids together.

You may remember my doll baby, sweet, perfect lover bug nephew, John Tyler

Well, a week ago, his little girlfriend was born

Kate Hammock also has an older sister, Grace, who is 4.

Everything seemed fine and the Hammocks went home a family of 4. Sunday night, however, Haley (the mom) started complaining of a headache. And it got worse and worse and then she started having seizures. Jacob called 911 and after some time in the local ER, she was transported to a larger hospital in a nearby town. They found bleeding on her brain and the prognosis was unknown.

5 days later, Haley is still in a coma. The bleeding has stopped and the blood is very slowly being absorbed back into her body. Because of where it was, they could not operate to relieve the pressure or drain the blood.

As a mom, my heart aches for her family . . . for her infant who needs her mommy, for her 4 year old who is trying to process Mama being so sick, for Jacob who has kept such a faithful and strong vigil by her side. As a sister, my heart aches for Megan . . . she is scared and sad for her friends and she is missing her friend. I'm sure she imagined them sharing "war stories"--how many times were you up, what color is the poop today, etc not waiting for updates on her struggle for life. Jacob and Haley and their friends and family have been in my prayers constantly. 

My mother-in-law posted the following on her Facebook page.....it has blown me away to see Jacob's trust in God:
Please keep Jacob and Haley and the rest of the family in your prayers. They have been up over 48 hours and they are worn out. They are broken hearted and they hurt..but they know that the Great Healer is on their side. I heard Jacob pray one of the most beautiful prayers I have ever heard. He grabbed his Mama and said this with his head bent down in her neck. "Didn't Jesus say that wherever two or more of you are gathered, I'll be there?? And if two or more of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask for, my Father in Heaven will do it for you ??? Well, there are 2 or more of us gathered here and I am claiming this for Haley....Dear Lord I know she is yours and I will love You no matter what happens. But please answer our prayers and let her get well....she's got 2 little girls who need her here......and I need her...."  Please pray for this sweet family. Pray that the bleeding won't come back and that her body absorbs the blood quickly so that there will be no more damage.


In the midst of all of the sadness, the Hammock family welcomed another life into the world. Gabe's wife had a little girl. I cannot imagine the swing of emotions that they must all be feeling....life and the struggle for life consuming their thoughts and prayers.....celebrating while grieving and hoping and begging.

All we can do is pray. For the strength of the Hammock and Croft (Haley's maiden name) families. For the little girls who call her Mama. For their friends. For Haley's complete and total healing. It's not impossible.

There is a prayer chain on Facebook and a website if you want to follow her story. Please lift up these families when you think about it--I imagine His angels of comfort and mercy covering them with the prayers of so many.