Jared Carlos Lujan

Jared's Challenge Jared Carlos Lujan issues a personal challenge to all who knew him, knew of him, and will hear of him' Will you see him again? This was a very important question to our son, and was a double edged sword to him as well. On one hand it brought him comfort to know he will be reunited with many of his loved ones, however what he worried most was those he may not see again. Jared knew fully, with no confusion, that the only way to the Father is through the Son (John 14:6). In a prayer before God mercifully called Jared home, he said people have been promised eternal life and only need to choose it by taking the first step of faith. Will you see him again? Jared's Rules for the Service Before Jared went home to God, he talked a lot about what he wanted his service to be like. He said, 'I have some very specific rules for my 'Celebration of Life Service'. He did not want people to be sad because he was now with God and very happy. He did not want people to where black instead he wanted them to wear spring or Easter colors. Jared wanted everyone to have a good time at the reception with music from his favorite Christian artists playing and 'war head' candies available for everyone to try. We look forward to seeing everyone Saturday. Jared's Life Story Born into this world May 11, 1995, Jared Carlos Lujan lit the world on fire with his smile, humor, and passion. From an early age Jared would naturally capture the attention of a room full of people without trying. The natural attraction he had toward people and people toward him was very apparent to everyone. This gift enabled him to impact many people. As a baby Jared was very advanced. He weighed 8 é½ pounds and was 2 weeks early. On his due date, he weighed 11 pounds. Jared was very bold and took his first steps just before he turned 10 months old and was talking by his first birthday. Doggie was his word of choice, in honor of our puppy, Chelsea. Jared was a performer growing up developing many facial expressions to match his mood and situation, the mean guy face was our favorite. Jared was also a tender child and could not resist snuggling with his family and always fell asleep on our chests. Jared adored his big brother Mathew and worked so hard to emulate him as he grew. Mathew has been an outstanding role model and provided Jared a high bar to live up to. Jared embraced this challenge and studied and learned the best Mathew had to offer, which included his strong faith in the gospel. Mathew and Jared loved spending time together' they were best friends. Although they could have been doing many other exciting things, just laying together with Jared on top of Mathew was the preferred way of spending time together. The arrival of his brother Daniel in December of 2004 brought a new excitement to Jared's life. He now had the chance to be a big brother and help mold Daniel's life just as Mathew had done for him. Love sprouted quickly between Daniel and Jared. Jared was the only consistent recipient of Daniel's sweet kisses. The love affair gave Jared even more reason to press on through his illness. Jared began his school age years as a loyal and concerned friend, wanting to be Batman to protect his friends. His teachers were concerned with his social behavior but always claimed it was innocent love for communication. Jared loved school and his teachers deserve all the credit for this love. School work was fun and learning was truly exciting. Reading and vocabulary were his favorite subjects, as if that were a surprise to those who knew him. His school mates offered their love and support to Jared during his illness that gave him great hope. In August of 2003, Jared was diagnosed with Myleodysplastic Syndrome, a rare blood disorder that affects blood production within the bone marrow. Although the disorder left him with almost no immune system, no blood clotting ability, and anemic, Jared continued to attend school only missing for doctor's appointments. He fondly earned the nickname 'the Enigma' from his doctors and the name fit very well; there was no explanation for why he always seemed to do so well. Jared remained an active young boy playing two seasons of youth baseball in which he helped pitch his team to the World Series game. Jared completed this phase of his amazing life needing only blood transfusion support. God kept Jared safe from common infections which were very dangerous to him. However, in December 2004, Jared developed an uncommon staff infection in his chest and liver. Jared required surgery to his chest and two separate liver surgeries which ended in the right lobe of his liver being removed. During the treatment of this complication, Jared's disease transformed into Acute Myleoid Leukemia. He received two rounds of high dose chemotherapy. Jared still continued to excel, not experiencing the common, terrible side effects associated with chemotherapy. Jared's next step was to undergo a bone marrow transplant which took place on April 27, 2005. The bone marrow transplant was successful, and again Jared overachieved. An extended stay in the hospital was necessary, as Jared had no functioning immune system to protect him. Doctors had again warned of many physical and emotional side effects. Jared proved his mettle by not showing signs of side effects, including gaining weight during this stay, an accomplishment almost unheard of. Jared's recovery was going very well, regaining strength and stamina he hadn't seen since his battle began. Then at a routine 6 month exam we found the cancer had returned. Jared was ready to continue his battle, however untimely physical hurdles clearly showed him that the Lord may have other plans for him. Jared decided to end his medical fight in February, but knew he had to close strong, like a great distance runner who ends their race with a kick. Strong is word that just doesn't quite do Jared justice. Heroic best sums up Jared's battle with his illness. He never backed down, but when choosing to protect those around him from more pain, the unselfishness that he showed in his decisions goes beyond what words can describe. Jared loved his family and many great memories are held in our hearts. Jared left us memories of courage and acceptance when first diagnosed. Treatment left us with memories of toughness, stubbornness, respectfulness, and a willingness to live. When we were left with minimal options is when Jared's light shined the brightest, memories of faithfulness, humility, gratefulness, and unconditional love were apparent to all who were fortunate enough to be part of his life. Jared's devotion and faith to his lord and savior were the foundation of his strength. He was rewarded when he received his crown of righteousness on April 4th from the Lord. The following is Jared's life story as written by Claire Martin of the Denver Post: During the last weeks of his life, 10-year-old Jared Carlos Lujan and his family treated his impending death akin to the way other families might prepare for indefinitely long trips to an unfamiliar country. 'We have all eternity to spend together,' he told his family in February, after learning that the cancer, an especially aggressive form of acute myelogenous leukemia was resisting treatment. He passed away April 4 at his Roxbough home. Planning the music for his final celebration of life, he chose favorite songs from Christian bands including the Newsboys and Chris Rice, along with 'Go the Distance,' the Phil Collins' song from the Disney movie 'Hercules.' It became a soundtrack throughout his treatment. He especially liked these lyrics: 'Down an unknown road/ To embrace my fate/ Though the road may wander/ It will lead me to you/ And a thousand years/ Would be worth the wait/ It may take a lifetime/ But somehow I'll see it through.' The words carried him through chemotherapy, recovery and his decision to stop everything but palliative therapy. 'That song had so many meanings for us,' said his mother, Angela Lujan. 'First, it had the promise of being normal again after the chemo and operations. And finally, it was about going home to God.' Slender, with flushed pink cheeks and dark hair, Jared wore a GodStrong plastic band on his wrist, a version of Lance Armstrong's LiveStrong band. He cherished the T-shirt printed 'Vote for Jesus,' a Christian spin on the 'Vote for Pedro' campaign featured in 'Napoleon Dynamite,' whose script Jared could quote from memory. 'The whole family has a very strong faith, and that's really grounded them in getting through a terrible, terrible time,' said oncologist Sue Lindemulder, who worked with the Lujans since Jared's initial diagnosis on August 11, 2003. 'Jared was aware he was dying. With Jared, we've been upfront. He's too smart to get anything past him; you can't even try. His parents have prepared him for everything in life, and they feel like they've helped prepare him for this. They don't want him to be afraid, and I don't think he is.' From infancy, Jared Lujan struck people as precocious. He began talking as soon as he took his first steps, amassing an impressive vocabulary. At age 2, when someone told him to 'look at the birdie' in the sky, Jared responded, 'Actually, that's an eagle.' Before his first chemotherapy session, he shaved his head bare save for a Mohawk, and mustered a sneer for a pre-chemo photograph. 'He didn't let the disease interfere with his childhood,' said oncologist Brian Greffe. 'At the same time, he was wise beyond his years. He has shown so much courage, and he's wanted all along to be part of the conversations we've had regarding his clinical course. Most kids his age want us to talk to their parents. Jared really wanted to hear what was being said. Even when we realized the leukemia was relapsing, and he did not have good options, he wanted to be there for that conversation.' Yet Jared Lujan remained firmly a 5th-grade boy. He loved baseball and football. Before his diagnosis, he was among the top tacklers for the Arapahoe Youth League's Warriors. He cherished his two authentic light saber replicas. Switched on, each thrums and glows convincingly. Both are souvenirs scored at his Make-A-Wish Foundation 'Star Wars' party at Fat City last November, before his final unsuccessful chemotherapy sessions. Because Jared Lujan relished costumes '"" he dressed as a surgeon to trick-or-treat last Halloween '"" everyone at the party adopted a 'Star Wars' persona. Jared Lujan was a young Anakin Skywalker. His big brother, Mathew, went as Obi-Wan Kenobi, and his baby brother Daniel, made an infantile, unwrinkled Yoda. 'It was a chance for Jared to do all the things he hadn't gotten to do before because of the chemotherapy and the operations and the bone marrow transplant,' Angela Lujan explained. She calculated that her son spent 190 days at Children's Hospital in 2005. Jared Lujan relished playing a Jedi knight. The noble, self-sacrificing romance of knighthood appealed to him throughout his life. He cast his 2004 story, 'Battle of Brothers,' as a medieval tale of betrayal and fealty that echoed his own life. Here's how it ended: 'King Mathew rushed to his brother's side. ' '˜Goodbye,' whispered Sir Nantrop. Then he died. 'King Mathew cried and cried. After he was buried, King Mathew looked over his castle and remembered when he, Sir Nantrop and Lendul all played together when they were kids, before their father, King Richard, and their mother, Queen Angela, were killed by robbers, and his entire family was happy.' Survivors include parents Richard and Angela Lujan of Roxborough Park; brothers Mathew Lujan and Daniel Lujan of Roxborough; and grandparents Don Yerion of Mt. Vernon, Wash., and Patricia Owen of Delta; and Mary and Ernest Lujan of Las Cruces, N.M. Memorials In lieu of flowers and gifts, we respectfully suggest that donations be made in Jared's name to the following organizations that played a key role in Jared's life. The Children's Hospital Butterfly Program The Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders c/o John Schliep 1056 E. 19th Ave., B115 Denver, CO 80218 The Children's Hospital Foundation c/o The Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders 1245 E. Colfax #400 Denver, CO 80218.