He was a few short weeks away from his eighth birthday and the event that would finally make him a "Fredericks" --  the finalization of the adoption that had been so agonizingly long in the making.      Eli wanted to change not only his last name, but his middle name as well, and was adamant that he be called  Elijah Makana "Golden Eagle" Fredericks long before the final adoption date was a reality. 

His mom and dad chose "Makana" because of its Hawaiian meaning of a "gift" or a "present" which they most certainly felt Eli was to them.  But "Golden Eagle" was Eli's choice ever since his dad had gone to Alaska and had brought back a t-shirt with a golden Eagle on it.  It became his theme.

Just about anyone who knew him knew of this love and naturally he acquired many more items with the eagle theme.  His parents agreed that "Golden Eagle" should become a part of his legal name once the adoption was final.

The adoption never took place. Eli and his mom were getting ready to go to a cub scout meeting one evening in  mid November.  Mom admonished him not to get his uniform dirty while she was getting dressed and said they would stop off to buy a snack (he insisted on pretzels) to share at the meeting. 

He said he was going to go look for his book in the car and raced out the door.      When mom reappeared about fifteen minutes later ready to go to the meeting, Eli was nowhere to be seen.  Mom and Dad were not concerned.  They had a big yard that a boy could lose himself in easily.  The closest road to their end-of-the -beaten path house was so seldom used that many people did not even realize that it was even there. 

The closest source of real danger was almost two miles away, but was a busy highway.  It was not until they realized that Eli was not in the yard and not visible on the road fronting their house that they began to get worried.  They branched out their search finally ending it on that busy highway where a crowd had gathered and rescue had been called for a little boy who had been hit.

He was wearing his Cub Scout uniform and had his book still clutched in his hand.  Only God and Eli know what made him go up to that highway and how he got there so quickly, although a lot of theories have been passed around.  Was mom just taking too long to suit him?  Did he run?  Did someone give him a ride?  Was he afraid the store would run out of pretzels before they could get there?

We will never know of course since Eli was pronounced dead the next day after having been air evacuated to Honolulu.  He had  been kept on life support all night, but dad said he was pretty sure Eli left his body at some point while they were mid air between our island and Oahu.  Typical of a Golden Eagle I am sure.

The story does not end here. 

Even in their grief at losing this child that was so very loved by his parents (adoption notwithstanding, they WERE his parents, no doubt about it) the Frederick's unselfishly donated his organs.  Several undamaged organs including a kidney and his corneas and
heart valves and liver went to give life and sight to several other people including a two year old girl whose liver had failed and whose body had just days before accepting Eli's liver had rejected another donor's.

A memorial service was held on November 30, 1998 for Eli.  It would have been his eighth birthday.  He had wanted to invite "lots of people" to his party and he had wanted lots of balloons.  He got both wishes as over 300 people showed up for a Celebration of Eli's life, complete with birthday cake and balloons and everyone singing "Happy journey to you" to the tune of "Happy Birthday." 

Hundreds of helium filled balloons were released that day.  As they drifted off toward the Frederick's home, someone noticed  that one white balloon was leading the way.  Then several people gasped as the blue balloons followed and began to spread out and formed the shape of an eagle in full flight. 

Eli never got to legally become a Fredericks, although he certainly was in his heart and in the hearts of all who knew and loved him, but we know that God welcomed a little Golden Eagle into heaven that day.

    Shelley L. Bereman-Benevides   <SHELLBERE-BEN@prodigy.net>