Robert Owen Boice

Dated: March 15, 2007












(Note: This account was taken from Ashley's blog. Since it reflects an important part of Robbie's history, I have included it in "My Family Chronicles".)
So last night Rob got his hands on a couple of marbles. I didn't want him to have them but he was SOOOO tired and sad I let him keep them. As we got ready to start eating dinner my dad sat him up on the couch and gave him a bite of pear. He was kinda laying down when he was eating the pear. I looked over and his face was getting red and his eyes were watering. I picked him up whacked him on the back and swept his mouth with my finger to clear his passage way. Some pear came out but I screamed "he is not breathing!" My mother, father and sister were all right there and I handed him to Cali, and pleaded with her to help him. My father cleared his mouth once again while Cali continued to hit him on the back. I ran to the laundry room and said a prayer...I didn't want to see him die. I ran back out to the kitchen and asked if I needed to get an ambulance coming. They continued to try and get him breathing but at this point my poor little baby was turning bright blue. I have never seen anyone like that before. Cali gave him the Heimlich maneuver while my dad kept trying to hit him on the back. Out came a marble and then another...and then another...three marbles. Immediately his color returned and he coughed in air. He looked SOOO relieved. He didn't even cry for a while he was just so happy to be breathing again. I ran to him and of course I lost it. He lost it. We rocked with each other for a couple of minutes. I have never seen real chocking. I have seen chocking were the person is gasping or coughing but never where there is nothing from them. We all just kept waiting for him to gasp...or cry...or anything. It was the scariest thing ever. After he was fine we all just sat there in silence. We offered up a family prayer of gratitude and we just sat there...horrified...greatful and speechless which is really saying something in the Earl family. WOW. Having lost a brother at a really young age...I understand death. I know that it happens and that it is Heavenly Father's plan. I know that when my brother died it was because he was done here on Earth and that he is in Heaven and that we will see him again. I have always had a strong testimony of that. I just didn't want him to die in my arms. Even if it was my sister's arms I knew she would do everything she had to do to try and save him. I couldn't do it. So today...as I listened to his sweet little voice waking up over the monitor...saying so quietly and politely mom...mom...Ollie...Mom? I was so grateful for him and the time I have been able to spend with him so far. Grateful that I will be able to see him grow. He is a good boy.