*Updated* Joshua - The Love Boat Captain

lolobugg

beautiful read. although I didn't get to meet you guys, I am glad to have shared Philly 2 with you.
what an amazing night!!!! I am so happy for Joshua.

PJM3333

WOW. Thanks for sharing your story. That video gives me chills every time I watch it. Blessings to you and your family! Joshua seems like a great little guy. Amazing how LBC affects all of us. I can still remember the first time I heard it back in 2002. The dude has great taste and you guys got one of the coolest sounding versions ever!

If I see you at Wrigley I'm buying you and your husband a beer! Go to Gingerman (2 blocks away) before the show and I'll buy you one there!

Amongst the Ani

stina1118 said:

Thank you! I had such a hard time articulating all of the positive emotions we felt into words. I'm still so emotional about this whole trip.

Joshua had to go back to school this morning. Talk about an epic meltdown. Poor kiddo!!!!

Thank you for sharing this experience with us as well. Joshua has touched many of our lives. He has made me appreciate the music even more than I did before and the power of it. The dedication to him of LBC was the highlight for me of the 2 nights.

stina1118

@lolobugg it was so hard with Joshua... We had to kinda play off his mood and tolerance. I would've loved to meet you as well!! You've been so supportive. Luckily, there will be more shows and more opportunities!

@PJM3333 I'll take you up on that! Can't wait!

Thank you @Amongst the Ani and everyone else. This thread has gone so much further than I had ever imagined.

I've been so inspired by this trip. My heart is full and I couldn't have asked for anything more out of this experience. I cried so many times during and after the trip out of happiness, relief and love.

Joshua's journey hasn't been easy,but we are very blessed in many ways. I have amazing kids, that have a passion for music. That makes me so happy.
Particularly Joshua. He feels music in a way that I can't even understand.

Joshua already enjoys listening to the you tube video with his dedication. He's so excited about it. I can't even imagine how many times I will have to listen to that bootleg. Hahaha

Xoxo

cutz

So happy for Joshua and your family, to be able to experience that.

Memories that will last a lifetime=PRICELESS !

IamTom

stina1118 said:

@lolobugg it was so hard with Joshua... We had to kinda play off his mood and tolerance. I would've loved to meet you as well!! You've been so supportive. Luckily, there will be more shows and more opportunities!

@PJM3333 I'll take you up on that! Can't wait!

Thank you @Amongst the Ani and everyone else. This thread has gone so much further than I had ever imagined.

I've been so inspired by this trip. My heart is full and I couldn't have asked for anything more out of this experience. I cried so many times during and after the trip out of happiness, relief and love.

Joshua's journey hasn't been easy,but we are very blessed in many ways. I have amazing kids, that have a passion for music. That makes me so happy.
Particularly Joshua. He feels music in a way that I can't even understand.

Joshua already enjoys listening to the you tube video with his dedication. He's so excited about it. I can't even imagine how many times I will have to listen to that bootleg. Hahaha

Xoxo

Joshua's LBC again mom...clap mom...dance with me...sing quiiiietlyyy... ❤️

stina1118

"Joshua's LBC again mom...clap mom...dance with me...sing quiiiietlyyy... ❤️"


Three days with us Tom and you know
him so well!!!! And don't forget Samba Medusa

pjalive21

cutz said:

So happy for Joshua and your family, to be able to experience that.

Memories that will last a lifetime=PRICELESS !

second this one! awesome story

Red Mosqito

darthvedder said:

Thank you both for sharing Joshua's story. Pearl Jam is no stranger to kids with special needs, as they've played Neil Young's Bridge School Benefit Concert plenty of times over the years. Two years ago, Pearl Jam couldn't make it to Bridge, so some of the Bridge School kids came to their show instead, and this happened. One of the greatest concert moments I've ever witnessed. Mike McCready was even moved to tears after the song was over.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYyOdGYS9sE

I watched this from the rail that night and I never get tired of watching the band interact with the Bridge kids. The only time I really enjoy hearing this song live is when the kids are in attendance because it makes it all the more meaningful to me.

Red Mosqito

RunIntoTheRain said:

stina1118 said:

Thank you!!

If anyone grabbed a photo or video of us on the Jumbrotron, could you send it my way? We'd like to put a video together of our trip!

Thank you so much!!

Jim Powers did. Eddie starts talking about Joshua at the 3:00 min mark, then you guys are on the jumbotron. I don't know how to embed the video, so here is the link.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=L4X_m19Z_MM

Okay, you just made this 45 year old man cry like a baby with that video!! Joshua is going to wear out that bootleg I'm sure of it! Thanks for sharing your story, Joshua truly has amazing parents!

RunIntoTheRain

You guys have touched so many people with your story.
I was so happy to watch on periscope as Joshua & Co. got the shout out.
Bravo!

Thank you for sharing
Tami

stina1118

It's funny... After night 1, I was floored at the people who approached us to let us know how they were impacted by us that night. I spent the whole car ride home thinking about it, as I read through all of the amazing comments and processed this whole journey. I sometimes forget that caring for a child like Joshua is different than the norm. But to me, caring for Joshua is the norm.

I can't articulate enough how much all of this means to us. Joshua is still so excited! Dad and I are so happy for him. Your kind comments, support and love lets us know that we (including Joshua) are a part of this community. It helps us know it is okay to bring him to shows, because he will always have friends to "clap with him" and "give high 5s". This was about more than a song request... It was about acceptance and belonging.

Tom from Given to Live did a really nice write up from his point of view. This is part 1 and the second will be posted this weekend.
https://facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=1377422675607620&id=814123041937589

And please support this great cause through social media! Kids like Joshua don't have a lot of programs to assist them in making their dreams come true. GTL gave him the experience of a lifetime and I will forever be grateful for that.

hedonist

We all have our weird norms.

(no, I'm not talking about our norm with the lovely grey-browed dog )

I hope kids like Joshua DO have more help to get them through, but never underestimate what you, as parents, do for and give to them. People like me just want to pile on in whatever way - energy, funds, words.

Anything.

Even if from miles away, I'll be clapping along with Joshua!

stina1118

@hedonist you've been there from very early on in this thread.... Thank you!

It's the connection to people like you, that made everything about this trip so special. We felt so much love. I've never experienced anything like this before. It's surreal. I'm still amazed at all of the people who have reached out to us.

And...You are so right, we all do have our weird norms! Hahahaha

pdalowsky

Meeting with Tom In NY and watching the videos he took before during and after the show, was truly heartwarming, and seeing the immense and very real happiness that exuded from him in the immediate aftermath was inspiring. There is a chap, whom I am proud to call a dear friend, in his element helping others.

So glad Joshua had the time of his life.

KP_McMinn

Red Mosqito said:

RunIntoTheRain said:

stina1118 said:

Thank you!!

If anyone grabbed a photo or video of us on the Jumbrotron, could you send it my way? We'd like to put a video together of our trip!

Thank you so much!!

Jim Powers did. Eddie starts talking about Joshua at the 3:00 min mark, then you guys are on the jumbotron. I don't know how to embed the video, so here is the link.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=L4X_m19Z_MM

Okay, you just made this 45 year old man cry like a baby with that video!! Joshua is going to wear out that bootleg I'm sure of it! Thanks for sharing your story, Joshua truly has amazing parents!

yea really dude...sniff sniff.....I didn't put the two together until this morning...This is just about the coolest thing i have ever seen, from anything I have ever seen. From how it all started until that moment of dedicating the song to Josh, wow that is just so great to see, hear and experience...
Glad Joshua and family made it to the show to see that. Big ups to live and give, for coordinating that! Wow just wow!!!

stina1118

pdalowsky said:

Meeting with Tom In NY and watching the videos he took before during and after the show, was truly heartwarming, and seeing the immense and very real happiness that exuded from him in the immediate aftermath was inspiring. There is a chap, whom I am proud to call a dear friend, in his element helping others.

So glad Joshua had the time of his life.

I think the four of us all left on that same high. It was quite an amazing experience, thanks to Toms hard work and dedication to what he does. ❤️

Amongst the Ani

I hope this thread stays on page 1 for a long time. Every time I see more threads complaining the band mailed in a show, complaints about people flipping merch or any other normal 10c complaint thread I chose to see what new posts are in this thread instead. I hope you keep us up to date on Joshua. We all need a little smile or even a little cry out of happiness and this thread gives it.

Ray J. T.

Amongst the Ani said:

I hope this thread stays on page 1 for a long time. Every time I see more threads complaining the band mailed in a show, complaints about people flipping merch or any other normal 10c complaint thread I chose to see what new posts are in this thread instead. I hope you keep us up to date on Joshua. We all need a little smile or even a little cry out of happiness and this thread gives it.

Couldn't be said better.

stina1118

Too sweet!!! I promise to post updates. I have a video I'm working on with all of the pictures of the trip, I will post when it's ready.

I'm really debating taking Joshua to Wrigley night 2. We will see how things fall into place. It's very hectic downtown and I'd hate for him to be too overwhelmed. I don't know when we will get another show for him after that... And he had so much fun. I'd feel guilty going two nights without him!

But, I will definitely stay in touch!