Posted by Granny (anonymous) on December 22, 2007 at 2:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Just one person gave out the wrong info from the Bigwood Center without getting it from the horses mouth.
Praise and Thanks to all who did all they could to help out Caydens family and friends.
God needed a Special Angel for Christmas

Posted by pushbunny (anonymous) on December 22, 2007 at 10:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)

As Cayden's Grandma, I would like to thank the people of Fergus Falls and the surrounding communities for the support they have given Chad and Amanada during this time. However, I feel it is time for all of you to let go of the issue with the Bigwood Center, all it is doing is scarring Cayden's short life and this is not the way we want him remembered. Chad and Amanda have paid the Bigwood Center and it is over and done with. The death of any one whether they are 5 or 105 should not lead to profit for anyone. The owners and the manager of the Bigwood have to live with their decision for the rest of their lives, not Chad, Amanda, you or I. Please allow Chad and Amanda to move forward, God only knows how difficult the days, weeks, months and years to come will be for them.

Posted by DAnderson (anonymous) on December 23, 2007 at 6:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Pushbunny,

Sadly, I agreed with your comments up until..."the death of any one whether they are 5 or 105 should not lead to profit for anyone. The owners and the manager of the Bigwood have to live with their decision for the rest of their lives, not Chad, Amanda, you or I." As someone who read your initial comments to basically say "let it go", you are still fueling the fire. Anyone with any basic business sense knows the Bigwood didn't pull some stunt to "profit", as the negative publicity would counter that. And as far as the manager having to live with that decision, well, YOU luckily do not have to live his or his families life, as their names are now smeared in the community for a misunderstanding over something that shouldn't shadow the real reason the people were supposed to come together for in the first place. Very undiplomatic way of you expressing your view, keep sullying any sympathies I may have sended your way...

Posted by bluetinabell (anonymous) on December 23, 2007 at 7:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)

yes this is so tragic about the loss of such a bright child with his future so bright and mountains yet to climb. But because of heathers misscomunication leads to the down fall of tom larson's name. with any tragic loss comes extra bills and unfornat expenses, how do you think all the employees felt when they had to scramble together people to work and take from other events at the big wood center the same day they put this together for cadens family. not to mention 263 people had to be served and cooks dedicated their time to help out at this tragic time. there are people to pay and things to be done. so blaming tom for doing his job and helping when needed, is wrong. if heather would of communicated this in the beginning this wouldnt have happened. people need to make sure they throw there accusations in the right place. the death of a child is totally hard all by itself.

Posted by Barb (anonymous) on December 24, 2007 at 11:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)

To D Anderson:
Luckily, YOU do not have to live my families lives now, just imagine every Christmas, every birthday and every family gathering we will have without Cayden YOU obviously were reading something into my comments that was not there.
To bluetinabell:
Why are you so concerned about the employees that had to "scramble" to work at the bigwood center? Think of how Cayden's family had to "scramble", with no notice, to prepare for what we went through.

All of you are missing the point, a young child was suddenly taken from his family and all you want to talk about was who was to blame for some miscommunication between a Event Center Manager and grieving parents. Maybe it is time the town of Fergus Falls hears from Tom and Heather at the Bigwood to put an end to all this. Maybe they should publish their expenses and explain why they had to charge so much, I have tried to do the math and it seems that a charge of almost $1300 is a profit to the Bigwood. Cayden's family has to live without him for the rest of their lives, and a price can not be put on that.
Cayden's Grandma

Posted by JL (anonymous) on December 24, 2007 at 12:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)

TO CAYDEN'S GRANDMA, I AM SO SORRY TO HEAR OF YOUR FAMILIES LOSS. WHAT A TERRIBLE THING TO HAPPEN TO YOU GUYS. I HOPE GOD CAN GIVE YOU THE STRENGTH TO GET THROUGH CHRISTMAS AND ALL OTHER HOLIDAYS. I TOO HAVE A FIVE YEAR OLD AND WHEN I READ THE STORY TEARS FILL MY EYES. I CAN'T EVEN START TO IMAGINE WHAT PAIN YOU GUYS HAVE GONE THROUGH. I WISH YOU ALL A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND WANT YOU TO KNOW I WILL CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR YOUR FAMILY. GOD BLESS YOU FOR HAVING THE STRENGTH TO VOICE YOUR OPINION IN SUCH A DIFFICULT MATTER. AND HOPE YOU KNOW THAT I DEEPLY FEEL FOR YOUR LOSS.

Posted by BobWilliams (Bob Williams) on December 24, 2007 at 3:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Incredible. *shakes head*

Posted by Lee (anonymous) on December 25, 2007 at 9:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)

-Barb or Pushbunny...? How many identities do you have?
OK, I'm reluctantly going to feed a troll (I think) just this once...
I think what DAnderson was basically saying was, that yes, this is terrible and he/she agrees, but by trying to say "it's over and done with", you actually delt another parting shot/snide remark. This is starting to look badly for a few reasons. First off, this NEVER should have been news worthy in the first place! The Journal should raise it's standards and quit acting as though this is the 1800's and that there is nothing else to publish other than a PRIVATE situation between 2 parties. If they can't find anything else to write about, become a weekly. Another being the old saying "any publicity is good publicity", well, as disgusting as it's starting to look, you got it and to whatever way it would benefit your cause. Finally, what are you suggesting when you say that "the owner and manager of the Bigwood have to live with their decision the rest of their lives..."? They didn't take Cayden! Don't take your grief out another persons reputation and livelihood! The only ones not letting Chad and Amanda move forward are the ones still looking for someone to blame. The Journal should also close out all responses to this story, delete it from the archives and in the future, only accept letters to the editor from verifiable sources like most newspapers in a town of this size. That way, if you want to slander someone, put your name on the line as well.

Posted by Lee (anonymous) on December 25, 2007 at 10 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Sorry, I guess it would be "libel" in this case...

Posted by DAnderson (anonymous) on December 26, 2007 at 10:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Barb
Correct, I do not have to live your families life, nor the family of Mr. Larson's who name continues to be a target in your posts, I cannot imagine how you will deal on every birthday, holiday or gathering...just like I cannot imagine the uneasy feeling Tom and his family must have everytime someone throws dirt their way for no reason, this isn't how people should behave. Also, concern for people having to scramble shouldn't be compared to the loss of Cayden, it should be viewed as people putting the event ahead of themselves and others during this busy time of the year, be thankful, not expectant, the world is bigger than just you. And finally, if everyone was "missing the point"
-"a young child was suddenly taken from his family and all you want to talk about was who was to blame for some miscommunication between a Event Center Manager and grieving parents."-
Then your next line
-"Maybe it is time the town of Fergus Falls hears from Tom and Heather at the Bigwood to put an end to all this. Maybe they should publish their expenses and explain why they had to charge so much, I have tried to do the math and it seems that a charge of almost $1300 is a profit to the Bigwood. Cayden's family has to live without him for the rest of their lives, and a price can not be put on that."- proves that you seem to missing the same point that you accuse others of. Keep stirring the pot grandma.

Posted by bucksteel (anonymous) on December 26, 2007 at 12:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Lee wrote: "The Journal should raise it's standards "

Is this necessary?

Posted by daidres (anonymous) on December 26, 2007 at 1:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Wow, I think you all should LET GO AND LET GOD. If Cayden's grandma feels strongly about how her grandson's parents were mislead, then let her, I believe she probably knows more about this situation than you or I, or any other person of the community. Some people have different ways of grieving and you flippin on her for commenting on how she feels, pretty low, pretty low. Obviously she has a right to be a little upset for what has happened, the only ones adding any fuel to the fire, are the ones not involved with the whole horrible situation. I too right away commented without knowing anything. I too agree that this issue should be laid to rest. God bless Cayden's family, and if you feel strongly about anything, go right ahead, some internet surfers don't have a right to jugde you.

Posted by Lee (anonymous) on December 26, 2007 at 2:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)

"Posted by bucksteel (anonymous) on December 26, 2007 at 12:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Lee wrote: "The Journal should raise it's standards "

Is this necessary?"-bucksteel

Of course not. It can remain as it is, the community gossip mill.

Posted by mytwocents (anonymous) on December 26, 2007 at 5:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I think that everyone ESPECIALLY Cayden's grandma has the right to speak their mind about this and for one the Bigwood event center NEVER should have said the word DONATE to the family if they were going to expect the family to pay for the room. It was just wrong!! I extend my condolances to the family. I too have a 5 year old and can't even begin to imagine what I would do. I pray for your family and am so sorry for your loss. I think I say this for myself and for everyone that has the same thoughts as me that THANKYOU to whoever donated the money to pay for the room to help out the family. That is what a real community is and what it should be.

Posted by Jinx_walker (anonymous) on December 27, 2007 at 7:13 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I myself am very sad to hear of this happening. As a parent of two myself I surely do not want to go thru the loss of a child. I am not wanting to fuel the fire to anything else but I do not feel myself that the Bigwood Event Center is at fault for anything. It does cost money for things to take place, and if you figure that they had to make food for 260 people it does take time to get that together. There are many hidden factors in it. The nice thing is that someone from the community stood up like many of us could have done and donated the money to pay for the event.

MANY PEOPLE look to far into things and accuse other people that they don't need to. Like the old saying goes accusations make a rear end (trying to put it nicely) of everyone considered...

HOPEFULLY WE CAN ALL LEARN FROM CAYDEN'S EVENTS AND MOVE ON AS A COMMUNITY. HOPEFULLY SOMETHING WILL COME OF THIS EVENT TO PREVENT SUCH A THING FROM HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITY EVER AGAIN! THAT WOULD BE THE BEST WAY THAT I WOULD WANT ONE OF MY CHILDREN REMEMBERED FOR YEARS TO COME....

Posted by tomsmom (anonymous) on December 28, 2007 at 11:26 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I agree with the above comment. Any death is a tragic loss, but business is business. If my son died, God forbid, I would not expect a handout from anyone.

Posted by mytwocents (anonymous) on December 29, 2007 at 2:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)

The whole thing is,is it's not the food that they were paying for it was the room and the service for serving the food. THE VIKING donated all the food to the family. The Best Western didn't make it. I mean yea of course ppl need to get paid but if they were already working then whats the big deal, ppl in fergus falls can't help a family out for nothing? Money is always the factor in everything. Yeah thats life and I'm not saying that the death of anyones loved one isn't tragic but the death of a child is by far worse. They haven't even gotten to live a portion of their lives. This is just so sad. I can't speak for the family but i'm sure they weren't execting handouts but anything helps.

Posted by sweetpea3 (anonymous) on December 30, 2007 at 6:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I know that God is with you and your family Amanda. I can't even begin to imagine how you must be feeling. I know that there are many people among myself praying for all of you. The best thing to do is celebrate his life and how much joy and laughter you brought to him and he brought it to all of you! What a beautiful child! :)
I know that you will stay strong!

On a different note, it's wierd how I have worked for both the Event Center with Tom, and Applebees with Amanda. I am not sure what to say really... I wan't involved in the situation that happend so It's not my place to say who is at fault. But what I know for a FACT is that Amanda is a great person, she's outgoing, confident, funny, caring...( the list could go on) I know that her family is there for her, as well as she is there for them during this time. I also know Tom. He is also outgoing, confident, funny, caring.....( the list could go on) I know that both of these people are wonderful and i'm sure that everyone didn't intend for any of this to happen. People can comment and talk about it all they want, but i'm sure it's not making it any easier on either family. There are bigger things in this world then placing blame. How about in comments we write about what a wonderful life Cayden had. Because that's what this whole thing should be about in the first place!
I'm sure that God is taking good care of Cayden and looking after both Tom and Amanda's family. :)