I got a call at 5:00am on Monday morning form my dear friend, Ciana. She told me that she was at the hospital because her 4 year old Caleb was not breathing. I woke my husband up and we both prayed that Caleb would pull through and we tried to go back to sleep. Within the hour we got a call from a mutual friend advising us that Caleb had passed on, he was dead. It took me a while to process this information. Even though his mother had told me he wasn't breathing, 'death' had not quite registered in my brain. It took a second call and the mention of the word 'death' to make me realize what had happened. Caleb had passed on peacefully in his sleep at about 4:00 am Monday morning
Caleb Adonye Chamberlain
December 21st 2003 - March 10th 2008
Caleb was born to Adonye and Ciana Chamberlain after many years of trying to have children. He was indeed a miracle boy. Shortly after birth he contracted meningitis and became chronically ill. Caleb and his family fought a long battle with his health - many surgeries, infections, pain and hospitalizations. His last hospital stay was in May of 2007. The road to recovery was long and hard, but he pulled through because of the love and attention showered on him by his family and a team of loving caretakers. Caleb was doing very well this year. He attended Jackson Road Elementary in Silver Spring where he was known to be the teachers pet. He was in church with his family on Sunday the day before his passing away.
I visited the Chamberlain home on Monday afternoon where Adonye and Ciana were doing their best to hold things together. Through tears they reminisced about the beauty and loving nature of their son. I was really touched when Adonye said he didn't know what he was going to do with himself. You see, Caleb required a lot of care from feeding, to changing to exercising and his father was very involved in the process. According to Adonye, his whole schedule and business appointments revolved around Caleb's care. "Now that Caleb is gone what do I do with my time" is what Adonye wistfully said amidst tears.
Event hough Caleb's care was very demanding on both Adonye and Ciana, they had adjusted it into their family lifestyle and were accustomed to the process.
Even though Caleb couldn't speak, Ciana and Adonye knew what his needs were. According to Ciana, when Caleb was fussy, it was usually due to 3 things; He needed a diaper change, food or love. His need for love was satisfied when he would lay his head on Mom or Dad and was rocked gently.
Caleb loved to be around other children, he loved riding on the school bus and most of all he loved to be held. Sandra Ross, an assistant teacher at Jackson Road Elementary said that Caleb touched many lives, especially the lives of those who worked with him at the school.
We thank God for the beautiful yet short life of Caleb Adonye Chamberlain. We know he now rests in a place where there is no more pain or physical limitation. He rests in the bosom of our heavenly Father