Courtney and Micah

This article is published here with permission from the “West Allis Star”. The article appeared in the “West Allis Star”, published by CNI Newspapers in the April 8, 1999 edition. The article was written by Nan Bialek.

Family, neighborhood, church try to cope with a somber void

Many mourn tragic deaths of West Allis youngsters in Nebraska car wreck.

What friends remember most about Courtney Wilkinson, 15, and her brother Micah, 9, is the joy they brought to everyone around them.

Tomorrow, friends and family members will gather at Garfield Baptist Church in Pewaukee to say goodbye to Micah and Courtney, children of Ammie and Walter Wilkinson of West Allis.

Courtney, a freshman at Nathan Hale High School, died at 1:35 a.m. Saturday after a traffic accident near Aurora, Neb. Micah, a third-grader at Gen. Mitchell Elementary School, died in a Nebraska hospital later Sunday morning, according to an Aurora Memorial Hospital spokeswoman.

Courtney, Micah and another brother, 12 year-old Marc, were on their way to a spring break ski trip in Vail, Colo. said Jeanne Rieland of West Allis, a friend of the Wilkinson family.

She said it had become a family tradition for the children to spend spring break with their maternal grandparents, Carol Geithman, 59, and Lowell Geithman, 63, of New Berlin, at the couple’s Colorado condominium.

Rieland said the children were traveling with their grandparents when the accident occurred on Nebraska’s Interstate 80.

According to Dale Wiegert, dispatcher with the Nebraska State Patrol, Carol Geithman was driving westbound on Interstate 80 in the early hours of Saturday morning. Wiegert said she was passing a semi-trailer when she apparently lost control of the Lincoln Town Car. The car crossed the highway’s median strip and collided with another semi-trailer truck.

Marc, a sixth-grader at Mitchell Elementary, and his grandparents were treated and released from a Nebraska hospital.

Rieland, of West Allis, said news of the tragedy hit friends and neighbors hard. Many of them gathered at the Wilkinson home Sunday night to support Ammie, Walter and Marc when they returned home from Nebraska.

“There were probably 15 to 20 girls and guys in Courtney’s bedroom (Sunday) night, and they were just devastated,” Rieland said. “Not just friends from high school, but also from church.”

Rieland said Courtney and her surviving brother, Marc, just celebrated their birthdays last week.

Affable personalities

Courtney was so bubbly, and the same with Micah,” she said. “They were everybody’s friend.”

Alex Tessmer, 15, said he first met Courtney when both were students at Frank Lloyd Wright Middle School.

“She was a loving, caring person that was always there for you,” Alex said. “She was just full of life and always happy. You could go and talk to her and she’d just listen to you.

“She’d always talk about opening up your heart to God.”

Hale freshman Ashley Hopf said Courtney was also a good student who always made a contribution to discussions in social studies classes.

Judy Ladwig, who lives next door to the Wilkinsons in the 2800 block of South 99th Street, said Micah walked to Mitchell School every day with her son, Brandon.

Brandon Ladwig, 9, said Micah was known as “Squirrel,” a nickname given to him by his grandfather.

“He had a lot of friends,” Brandon said, and often organized backyard baseball, soccer and football games.

He said Micah also loved to build things with his Lego blocks and construct forts in the backyard sandbox. In winter, the boys built snow forts and challenged each other to snowball fights.

Micah, Brandon and boys from the neighborhood were playing baseball Thursday night, the day before the Wilkinson children left for their trip. Judy Ladwig said the boys were having so much fun they didn’t want to come in for supper.

“It was like they didn’t want the game to end,” she said.

Judy Ladwig said her 6-year-old daughter, Nicole, looked up to Courtney like a big sister.

“Courtney would crimp her hair, or Nicole would come home with her nails all done,” Ladwig said. “Courtney was always very good to the younger kids.”

Dan and Karen Hobbs of Wauwatosa are primary church school teachers at Garfield Baptist Church, where Micah attended Sunday School.

“He was just a tender-hearted little boy,” Karen said. “He loved to sing to the Lord and was always willing to give a hug when he left.”

David Koenig, 9, was one of Micah’s classmates at Mitchell School.

“He was funny sometimes and then real serious,” David said.

Micah liked doing math problems, and worked with David on a recent science project. When asked what he’ll miss most about Micah, David said, “Probably everything.”

Comforting the loss

Memorial crosses and flowers now dot the Wilkinson’s yard, where young Micah often romped with other boys in the neighborhood.

Rieland said the Wilkinson family decided to help keep Micah’s memory alive by participating in the organ transplant donation program.

She said William Bernard, pastor of Garfield Baptist Church, has been a source of spiritual strength for the Wilkinsons since they first heard the stunning news of the accident.

“This church has been just an incredible amount of support for the family,” Rieland said. “That’s what’s getting them through.”

Visitation is from 3 to 7 p.m. tomorrow at Garfield Baptist Church, N35 W22000 Capitol Dr., Pewaukee. Interment will be at Pine Lawn cemetery.

Memorials are suggested to the Wilkinson Family Memorial Fund, c/o Guardian Credit Union, 11333 W. Greenfield, West Allis, WI 53214. The Wilkinsons would like to use the funds to offset medical expenses and for construction of a playground to be dedicated to the memory of their children.

West Allis-West Milwaukee School Superintendent Harold Sloan said counselors will be available at Hale and Mitchell when students return from spring break Monday.

The above pictures are from the tree plantings at Nathan Hale High School (where Courtney was a student), General Mitchell Elementary School (where Micah was a student), and the Bonfire for Courtney’s friends.

On the General Mitchell Elementary School plaque:

“Life’s Sweet Blossoms”
The garden of life starts many a seed waiting to sprout,
Growing so fast, blooms peeking up from the earth as if to shout,
“Look at me, here I am – hurry to notice me, watch me grow!”
For life is so precious and there’s so little time for all to know,
The delicate beauty of each little colorful petal and sun-searching leaf,
Until all too soon they fade away, leaving wonderful memories mingled with grief.

Courtney and Micah, you were those gorgeous spring flowers in bloom,
Your fragile tenderness and delicate sweetness filled the earth’s room,
As your days on this land passed and your petals did unfold,
There were such depths of splendor and fragrance for all to behold.
The season of your blossom was far too short, the winter snows came all too soon,
You never had time to enjoy the summer heat or another fall’s harvest moon.
You were picked from earth’s garden and are now at peace and lovingly displayed,
In that great heavenly garden, a remembrance of what your earthly blossom portrayed.
There’s a new freckled flower bubbling in that garden above.
And another with an impish grin, toting a bat and baseball glove.
We find comfort in knowing that you are forever safe in God’s amazing bouquet,
Where your youthful virtue and innocence shall continue each day.
And for those of us who loved the flowers and watched them grow,
We are thankful that we have the memories to share and to know,
For we did look at you, we watched you grow, we noticed your worth,
You were two lovely flowers that brought beauty and joy to the earth.

With fond memories,
Your General Mitchell Elementary Family

Micah’s Organs Were Donated

Because of Micah’s death, five others have been given another opportunity of life here on earth. Because of Jesus Christ’s love and death, everyone has an opportunity of eternal life in heaven with Him.

The following information was received from the Nebraska Organ Retrieval System:

Micah’s heart was transplanted into a 16 year old boy who was born with a single lower chamber of his heart, rather than the normal two chambers. He required three previous surgeries in order to prolong the eventuality of a transplant and was listed over one year ago. His condition had worsened severely in the six weeks prior to his transplant. Since his transplant, he has done very well. This young man lives with his parents and told the nurses he plans to water-ski this summer.

Micah’s pancreas was transplanted into, and is successfully functioning, in a 36 year old woman with severe diabetes who used insulin twice a day for her entire life. She is single and has two brothers. She has been waiting for a transplant since August of 1998 and can now look forward to a life free of the restrictions and often devastating effects of diabetes. This woman has a deep spiritual faith which has enabled her to endure many medical hardships.

Micah’s liver was transplanted into a 23 year old woman who experienced the early signs of liver failure over a year ago. She was first listed for a transplant in September, 1998. This young lady is single and works as a housekeeper when her strength permits. Her transplant was a complete success and she should be returning home shortly. Her hobbies include jigsaw puzzles, walking, horseback riding and listening to rhythm and blues music.

One of Micah’s kidneys went to a 14 year old girl. This was her second transplant and she has had immediate kidney function. She was born with a congenital kidney disease. When her health has permitted, she attends school. Her hobbies include reading and visiting with her friends. Her doctors anticipate a complete recovery and full kidney function.

Micah’s other kidney was received by a 28 year old gentleman. This was his first transplant after waiting for four years. He was suffering from a complicated obstructive disorder. He is engaged to be married, enjoys fishing, golfing, hunting and dirt bike riding. His kidney failure required him to receive dialysis treatments frequently during the last two years. He and his fiancé are overjoyed with his progress and are now planning a much improved future together. He loves to hunt and play golf.

Our prayer is that they will also accept Jesus Christ as their Savior just as Micah and Courtney did.