Thank you Maria. Unfortunately Ben passed away this afternoon. We don't know too much information, but this is the article from the Pioneer Press yesterday. If you could keep his mother and friends in your prayers that would be nice. Thanks.
St. Paul police are seeking help in identifying three young men who chased and seriously beat a 15-year-old boy as he and several other boys left the Washington Middle School recreation center Monday night in St. Paul's North End.
The boy, who neighbors identified as Ben Doran, was listed in critical condition at Regions Hospital.
A family friend, who declined to be identified, said Doran, a sophomore at Como Park Senior High School, is the only child of his single mother. The family friend described the youth as a likable kid who loved basketball.
Doran had left the center and was walking with three other boys in the 1000 block of Woodbridge Avenue about 8:15 p.m. Monday when a car pulled up next to the group. Words were exchanged and the occupants of the car got out and started chasing the four boys.
"Three older kids caught our victim and assaulted him," said St. Paul Police Cmdr. Nancy Di Perna, who heads the homicide unit.
Investigators said the assailants, about 19 to 23 years old, beat Doran with their hands and feet and made statements indicating the attack was in retaliation for a previous incident.
The boy was able to walk as far as a block and a half before collapsing. A woman on a cell phone placed the first of many 911 calls to police notifying them about the attack.
Witnesses said the assailants got out of a newer silver or gray sports car with a white placard where the license plate would have been. The placard had a red script logo that said "Wayzata,'' possibly from a car dealership in Wayzata.

That sounds just terrible Liv. Why was he beaten? Was it some kids at school? It's amazing how things like that put your life in perspective. Your everyday problems seem so small when you think about people like your friend Ben. Hope he gets back to normal soon.

Prayers
Speaking of people you could pray for, a student at my school, Ben, was severely beaten on Monday evening. He is currently in critical condition, but is off life support which is good. Yesterday he opened his eyes and twitched during a nerve test, which is also good. I've been in Ben's classes since kindergarten, so if ya'll could keep him in your prayers that would be great.
Livvi'i

On Washington Avenue....

that was me. A colleague and I were on our way to talk about critical servers with some people from Academic Health Center. Afterwards I had Chick-Fil-A for lunch in (the NEW IMPROVED) Coffman.

Hi Everybody!
Mae's little Bobo (or should I say Koko's?) reminded me of my "Pinkie" that I took to college. (It was gray by then) and my roommate Ruta had the same kind of faded old gnarly puppy. My memory has faded somewhat, but it seems to me that at the end of the year the two of them got into the same box and stole away together.
Teresa, when your story started unfolding, I thought it was someone playing an April Fool's joke on you. That is really great! Is he the one that you had a diet coke with on St. Patty's day? John, I'm happy noone got hurt during your seminar. Janelle, you're a great workshop presenter as well... Wow, What a Family!! I saw you today, Joel, at the U., walking along Washington Av., undoubtedly on your way to present a seminar (9:50 a.m.) Peter gets to do seminars for car dealers all the time... now there's an audience for you!
Stevie had a great time in Chicago with Tom, as it sounds everyone but me gets to do!

Maria, I sure will pray for your cousin Jason. (I have a cousin in Indiana also, as do many of you.) Some of you remember my cousin Tom Hammerberg, who, with his wife Betsy, lived on Valentine, a block from J. & T. Her brother Daniel Fitzsimmons is a Blackhawk helicopter medical evac. pilot currently in Iraq. This gives us names of people we can pray for.
Our computer was down for quite awhile and then we were in Illinois, so I didn't get to invite y'all to Stevie's youth group fundraising dinner... It's on Saturday night at 6:30... call me up if anyone is interested. It's a mystery theater event, and you could pick your character if you're interested in dressing up and playing a part. Have a great week! Nancy

Yesterday when I got to work, Robin told me I had a "foreign-sounding gentleman" on the phone, so I quickly answered (still in my jacket), anticipating some kind of problem as I never get phone calls. Instead it was the head of the World Health Organization's Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety, wondering if I could come to Geneva in June to make a presentation at their meeting! I had met him in France and seen him for a few minutes in Chicago, and he seemed to think that he had mentioned this to me already, but it came as rather a surprise to me. He also said something about perhaps my doing some additional consulting for WHO. I was like, "Are you sure you have the right person?..." I guess I am now an expert on good and bad immunization websites. Deborah (the boss who gave me the opportunity to go to the French meeting instead of her) was very nice about it, fortunately. So we'll see what develops... I won't worry my mother about it for a while!

Well, I just found out that my cousin from Indiana was officially deployed to Iraq today. He is in the army and we are all very concerned for him. His name is Jason and if you could all keep him in your prayers, it would be greatly appreciated.