Hope Wheeler, daughter of Convention employee Rick Wheeler, dies from injuries sustained during accident

L AKELAND, FL—Five-year-old Hope Wheeler, daughter of Rick Wheeler, director of the Florida Baptist Convention’s Office of Leadership Development, was declared officially brain dead at 6 p.m. Monday, June 9, by doctors at the St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa.

Doctors told the Wheelers no brain activity had been detected for 24 hours and recommended the child be disconnected from life support. At no point since the accident on Sunday morning was there any sign of life from the five year old. She had been maintained on life support systems since Sunday afternoon while doctors ran a battery of tests to assess her condition.

Wheeler said from his Lakeland home on Tuesday morning, he and his wife Camille wanted their daughter’s organs to be donated to others. “If there is any redeeming value out of this pain, it is in knowing that we are able to share our Hope with others,” Wheeler said.

Hope was traveling with her parents to their church, Lakeland’s First Baptist at the Mall, on Sunday morning when another driver ran a stop sign and hit the family’s mini-van. Hope was taken to the Tampa hospital by helicopter.

Camille Wheeler and their two other children, Katherine, 7, and Regan, 3, were taken to Lakeland-area hospitals and released. All family members were wearing seat belts.

Rick Wheeler reported that they have been inundated by words of comfort and encouragement in the past two days. “We feel the love, prayers and even the text messages and phone calls from everyone have been overwhelming. We are feeling the love of God as never before. It is sustaining us now.”

The Convention staff is being encouraged to continue to hold up in prayer the Wheeler family during these hours and days of stress.

Funeral services for Hope Wheeler will be held Friday, June 13 at Lakeland’s First Baptist Church at the Mall with visitation at 3 p.m. and services at 4 p.m. The church is located at 1010 E. Memorial Blvd., Lakeland, 33804.

A graveside service will be held Monday, June 16 at 10:30 a.m. at Russell Haven, located adjacent to Russell Baptist Church in Green Cove Springs. The church’s address is 2299 Sandridge Rd., Green Cove Springs, 32043.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: “For Future Generations,” the children’s building fund campaign at First Baptist Church at the Mall.