Caleb Vaughan Carter 10 year old son of Andrew Vaughan and Rena Dearing Carter of Newberry died Friday October 24 2008 at Palmetto Health Richland Medical Center in Columbia. Caleb was born on June 29 1998 in St. Louis Missouri. He was a fourth grade student at Newberry Academy and a member of First Baptist Church the Bible Drill and the RAs. He is survived by his parents; his brothers and sisters Aaron Carter currently at West Point Becca Carter currently at North Creenville University Beth Jake Rachel and Micah Carter all of Newberry; maternal grandparents Joe and Susie Dearing of St. Charles Missouri; paternal grandmother Sharon Carter of St. Charles Missouri; and a number of aunts uncles and cousins. Caleb was predeceased by his paternal grandfather Kenneth Carter. Funeral services were conducted at 2:00 P.M. Tuesday at Wiles Chapel at Newberry College by the Rev. Dr. Kenneth Harmon. Interment was in Rosemont Cemetery. The family was at their residence 1603 Evans Street and did receive friends at Eleazer Arena on the Newberry College Campus following the committal service. Pallbearers were Zak Willis Ryan Kaiser Matt DeWitt Brian Yaeger Jason Valek and Jeremy Luther.Memorials may be made to the Caleb Vaughan Carter Memorial Fund 1704 College St. Newberry SC 29108.The following is a letter from Calebs parents: Dear Friends Caleb woke Friday morning with a cough the same mild allergy type cough that he had had for a few days except the mucus was much increased and thicker. So I gave him of a Mucus Relief tab and a Sudafed. He was dressed and completely ready for school and about to head out the door when he said Oh I have a headache. I replied Maybe you need a Tylenol. He then said that would not be needed because the headache was pretty much gone (that quick). Beth took all the kids to school. A few minutes later Beth called me and said that Caleb was dizzy and had walked into a couple of things and had thrown up. He came home and went straight to bed. He continued to throw up over the edge of his bed into a bucket every now and then for a couple of hours very mucusy (if that is a word) but not much in volume. He was very tired and dizzy all day so I decided to take him to the doctor at 2:30. Caleb was able to walk up the stairs at the doctors office but he needed some help because he was so dizzy. Doctor checked him out and did urine and blood tests-both of which came out normal. Due to some abdominal pain and exposure to someone who had had viral meningitis I was told some things for which to watch and I was given instructions to keep him hydrated and given a suppository for the vomiting. At home I watched him and made sure that he drank Gatorade every hour or more; but he was very drowsy and I had to get him up to drink every time. Due to him seeming even more lethargic and complaining about pain in the back of his neck for the first time I called the doctor on call. He said that there are some viruses out there that produce those symptoms but that if I felt uneasy about him to get him to an emergency room. I went to get a shower and asked the bigger kids to check on him a couple of times while I got cleaned up. After getting half dressed I went to see Caleb. He was no help as I tried to get him up so I asked Jake to help me lift him. I asked him to watch him so that I could get my pants and shoes on and planned to run him up the street to the emergency room. As I put my shoes on Jake yelled Hes not breathing. I ran in and thought I felt a faint breath and saw his nostril flare. We called 911 and Andy. Andy came home and gave a few breaths of mouth to mouth as the ambulance arrived. He heard much gurgling and saw his lungs fill with air. The crew put a tube down him and began to breathe for him. At the hospital a CAT scan was done pretty quickly and a tumor was found at the base of his cerebellum and top of spinal cord. It was bleeding and had swollen as to block the flow of cerebral spinal fluid and caused swelling on the brain. Thus the pressure on the brain made some of his functioning stop-most importantly I think the breathing. His heart had never stopped. He was brought by ambulance to a bigger better equipped hospital where they determined that he was brain dead and that further effort (brain surgery) would be very radical and aggressive and most likely totally ineffective. So we had a choice to make and after prayer our decision was peacefully yet painfully to not do anything further. We knew that if it was not his time to leave this world that God was fully able to save his earthly life and prayed to that effect according to His will. Well it was His will to take Caleb on home and we praise Him. There was very little suffering (at least time-wise). The boys got to have their buddy over on Thursday and had a fun day. Remember that Friday was the day he went home with our Heavenly Father. God knew when he was going to take Caleb and we dont even feel the need to ask Why? We will miss our precious son but know that our children are only ours for a set time. God is the potter and we are the clay. The funeral is on Tues at 2pm here in Newberry. It will be a bittersweet family reunion. LoveRena and Andy Scripture verses shared by Caleb's family: Psalm 116:15 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints. Deuteronomy 6:5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all you strength. Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you" declares the Lord "plans to prosper you and not to harm you plans to give you hope and a future." Matthew 6:33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well.