Remembering Owen, A Much-Loved Son And Brother At Christmas

LACEY TOWNSHIP, NJ - For almost two years, Kate Koehler kept the kind of journal no parent wants to keep.

She chronicled her family's fight to keep their son young Owen alive for as long as they could.

Owen was diagnosed with anaplastic astrocytoma, a malignant brain tumor, on September 4, 2015. Owen soldiered through two surgeries, several different chemotherapies, and radiation treatments. But last summer, Kate and her husband made the decision to stop his treatments, when it was clear his cancer was spreading, and let him enjoy the time he had left.

"Heaven gained an angel tonight," she wrote on their Facebook page Owen's Fight. "Owen got his wings at 7:55. Our brave, strong boy is healthy now. Love you O...."

That was six months ago, on June 22.

"We lost Owen six months ago today," she wrote on Dec. 22. "182 days without him. I just can’t wrap my mind around that. Our hearts are a lot heavier this year. I never imagined a year ago that Owen wouldn't be here to spend Christmas with us. Tomorrow isn't guaranteed...one of the many lessons we've learned."

She is grateful to Karl from Belmar-based American Monument who helped the Koehlers choose Owen's headstone and make sure it was ready for Christmas.

"He took sooooo much time walking us through the cemetery, emailing back and forth and working into the night to personally deliver Owen’s headstone in time for Christmas," she wrote. "It is perfect."

His brother Jack and sister Ella miss their big brother terribly.

"They talk about him every day and sleep in his bed every night," she wrote. "Our elves brought them special paper so they could write letters to him. Santa will bring them to Heaven on Christmas Eve."

Santa will also stuff Owen’s stocking this year. His parents will donate it to Columbia's Pediatric Oncology Art Program, she said.

"I want to thank everyone who has called, texted, message or stopped me in the store to check in or share an Owen story with me," Kate wrote. "I live for those! We continue to be amazed and humbled by just how many people he touched."

"We wish everyone who reads this a very Merry Christmas and a healthy, happy 2018," she wrote. "Thanks for going on this journey with us."

The week before Owen died, a parade of area fire trucks, fire engines and EMS vehicles slowly passed by the Koehler home for one last time for a final salute to the young boy. The parade lasted seven minutes.

Photos: Courtesy of Kate Koehler.