I had not realized that Heather had helped deliver over 700 babies as a midwife. The night before the funeral, there was over five hours of visitation. The hall was absolutely packed the entire time, and the church was at least half full throughout. There was even a line extending 100 feet out of the hall the whole time. Despite the chilly and rainy weather, people came in droves. Hundreds of Amish people traveled from as far as two hours away. The outpouring of love and respect for this family was overwhelming, as I knew it would be.

The following day was the funeral, preceded by another 3 to 4 hours of visitation. Again, hundreds, if not thousands, of people tried to get through the line, though many were unable to do so before the funeral mass began. During the mass, the church, hall, and basement were all full. There were so many people that some had to stand outside. Two priests distributed communion at the rail. The priests had to go to the tabernacle multiple times for more hosts and, even then, had to break them in half. I was told that distributing communion took 20 minutes, but I believe it took longer.

Many of Roy and Heather’s family members had just returned home after attending a wedding three days before the tragedy. The son who had been married and his new bride had just landed in Hawaii a couple of hours before receiving the news of his mother’s and two brothers’ deaths. One of the boys had just returned to Louisiana, where he is stationed, with his family. Roy’s sister and her family had just returned to Virginia. These, along with many others who lived a distance away, turned around and came right back.

An unofficial count of vehicles at the funeral was 315. Not all of these vehicles participated in the procession to the cemetery, which was about 30 miles away. I know the family is deeply grateful to the sheriff’s departments and fire departments for their assistance with traffic control, as well as to all the commuters for their patience and respect. Someone speculated that the procession was five miles long. While I cannot confirm this, I do know that, even from the ridges looking down the valley, I could not see either the front or the back.

The volunteers at St. Wenceslaus in Eastman, WI, were absolutely phenomenal. One of the ladies told me they had spent three days preparing for Heather, Ben, and Simon’s funeral. In addition to their kindness and empathy, they put together an amazing spread of food. The hall in Eastman was so packed with people that it took 20 minutes to move just six feet. Yet, these ladies, in the most trying of circumstances, ensured that everyone was served, even when navigating the crowd seemed nearly impossible. God bless each and every one of them.

I know that Roy intends to thank each and every one of you personally for your prayers and financial support. However, given the large number of people who need to be thanked, I want to take this moment to express my gratitude on his behalf. Your prayers have brought comfort and strength to Roy and his family. They have found solace in knowing that their departed wife, mother, brothers, and sons will enjoy eternal salvation. Heather, Ben, and Simon had all recently been to confession, and all three passed away wearing their brown scapulars. The outpouring of masses, rosaries, and prayers offers confidence that their purification will be swift and that they will soon move from the Church Penitent to the Church Triumphant. I also hope that the financial support you've provided will offer Roy options to help keep the family more intact during this difficult time.

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