Charlie Martin Honeycutt was the youngest son of Ben and Brandi Honeycutt. Only 2 ½ years old, he shot, kicked, threw, and tossed every ball within reach. He loved his Crocs on the wrong feet, trudged around in every oversized shoe he found on the floor, and lit up the room with his calm disposition and sudden sparks of joy.

Charlie’s mother, Brandi, was injured in the vehicle accident. She is beloved by the community and has spent untold time volunteering at school and in the Church. As Charlie’s light has brightened this family and community, Brandi has been a torchbearer, too. Her giving aura and friend-to-all nature comes with having the softest of hearts, of which, right now, is shattered.

We’ve struggled between giving the family much-needed space and showing them the love and support they need so desperately right now. So, here we are, humbly approaching you.

We know we don’t have to explain this feeling of loss for the family. However, we understand you are eager to help any way you can.

This new pain that comes with the ethereal love that Ben and Brandi have for Charlie is fresh and foreign. No one could anticipate, expect, or understand this tragedy. And that makes the pain even more an alien thing. But the love of family, and the love of Charlie, is a grand thing. A beautiful thing. A heavenly thing.

The community is holding onto them right now, here on the edges of agony. As Ben and Brandi feel far away on an island, with your help the community is encircling that island, stacking shoulder-to-shoulder, lovingly fortifying these beaches against these waves of grief.

While we can’t know the full breadth of pain Ben and Brandi bear right now, we feel the waves of this inexplicable loss, and we are present with them in mourning. For now, we can help with a gesture, a hug, a moment of silence, or just a prayer from afar. But we trust you could also be a stalwart of support.

There are no number of embraces, I’m sorrys, or I love yous that will ease their pain. There is no silent look in the eyes between brotherly men or sisterly women, that will relinquish their hurt. But they need help carrying this load, and we have faith that collectively we can ease some of the financial burdens to come.

Charlie is a light in this family. And we say IS, because he’s still with us. Everything in our bones wants to hold him right now. Everything in our hearts aches to see him.

While it may not ease our earthly pain of loss, we take solace in knowing Charlie is better right now than he ever has been. Today, that beautiful baby boy is throwing, kicking, and hitting balls like never before. Although Ben and Brandi have held and nourished him these short 2 ½ years, he’s holding them now. Although the youngest, he now watches over Hattie, Turner, and Elowyn.

In memory of Charlie, please use this platform to show your financial support for Ben, Brandi, Hattie, Turner, and Elowyn during this hour of need. However, financial support is not the most important of their needs. We ask that you provide the most critical support through prayer that the Lord will comfort their pain and heal their wounds in ways that only He understands.

With deepest gratitude,

The Honeycutt and Turner families

Written by Josh Honeycutt