The funeral mass for two-year-old Lane Graves was held this morning at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Elkhorn.
The boy died in Orlando last week after an alligator attack in a lagoon at a Walt Disney World resort in Orlando.
Father Ryan Lewis is the pastor at St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Omaha and says he is hopeful that today’s service helps the family through the healing process.
Father Lewis says over the years has counseled families after the death of a child but typically it was due to illness. He says, “There are so many emotions and for these poor parents to have witnessed this. I keep going back to the word trauma. We’ve really got to be there as a community for them.”
Father Lewis says he is often asked why bad things happen to good people and for that there is really no answer. He says Lane’s death is especially tragic because this was an act of nature.
Father Lewis says, “This is not an act of evil. We don’t have a God who micro-manages and says I’ll think I’ll inflict this tragedy on this family. God created the universe and it continues to spin on it’s axis.”
Father Lewis says the Graves family will have a difficult time moving forward and it won’t be easy but with the help of their faith and support of their community can go a long way in the healing process.
