William Hornberger memorial fund

For those who personally know the family or are close by a direct donation to the family will be best as the small fees associated here don't apply. Even if you know them and it is easier to donate here anonymously then please donate here.  Any amount however small is much appreciatated.  Thank you everyone. 

http://fox13now.com/2016/04/30/garland-man-dies-after-falling-75-feet-in-climbing-accident/

William was my brother in law, my wifes brother.  William died yesterday in a hiking accident in Logan, Utah. William was an amazing father of 6 young kids, one on a mission in New Zealand. I have known William very well these past 15 years and he is one of the most selfless giving people I have ever known. This is not hyperbole, he would literally give a stranger his last dollar.  The story I post below is an email I got from William a short time ago and I think this story demonstrates the man William was.  

William died while giving service and his time to a church young women's group and he was not being dangerous or stupid. He wasn't climbing without gear, in fact he wasn't even climbing, he hiked up the backside of the mountain to affix a rope onto an anchor at the top for the girls to climb.  He had a 40 lb rope that he hicked up on his back and as he bent over to attache the rope to the anchor he either got light headed and tumbled or the rope shifted and threw off his balance and he stumbled forward.  He was on flat ground. It was just a tragic accident.  Two of his children were there when he fell.
William was a devoted school teacher and his wife a devoted stay at home mom. He spent all summer every summer at scout camps. He was my kids favorite uncle. He always volunteered his time and money even though he was raising six kids on one teachers salary. A man who loved all and was completely unselfish. He loved hiking, biking, camping, climbing and was an expert wrangler and horse trainer.
William, in life gave the widows mite to all in need even though he had very little, he never thought twice. One of the best men I have ever known. Please share this and donate all that you can. I promise you the family needs it and you will be blessed. Life is short, love your family. I know God lives and we will see William again.

Here is part of the email I got from William a few months back, William wrote almost weekly a very long email to his family with his thoughts, activites etc. 

"As we passed by Brigham City, I noticed two hitch hikers on the first Brigham on ramp.  I drove to the end of the on ramp and waited as they rushed to the van. Jennifer said, "we are not inviting them to stay." They were headed to Montana.  I told them I could get them to Tremonton.  They were so thankful for the ride.  I found out that one,  David (name changed) was raised in Provo and the other, Gery (name changed) was from Emmett Idaho, near Boise.  Gery had hopped trains for the last 10 years and had gotten on the wrong train, putting him in Ogden.  he tried to get out by taking the Front Runner to Provo, and met David there.  They had decided to leave and see if they could find work in Yellowstone Park.  They were headed to West Yellowstone.

I felt like they were honest and just trying to get to West Yellow Stone, so I asked, "What do you think Jennifer,"  She mouthed, "NO!!!."  I told them I could drop them off at the truck stop.  I found that David had no sleeping bag, only a bunch of tarps to roll up in.  He had been very cold the previous night and did not really sleep at all. I offered one of our old sleeping bags that has a broken zipper.  They were grateful.  On the way to our house, I asked Jennifer if she minded them sleeping in our back yard.  She was okay with that.  We got home and I told them that I would set up a tent for them.  They asked how they should use the bathroom.  I caught up to Jennifer and told her that I felt that they were okay.  She said they could sleep in the basement.  Boy were they grateful.

I showed them to their quarters on the wrestling mat in the basement, then told them they could use the washing machine and dryer, and come up and have a shower if they wanted.  We would find them something to eat also.  I warmed up the left over dutch oven potatoes from our camping trip and they ate a little of it. In talking to them I found out that Gery had been a mechanic in the Marines, then decided to travel after getting out.  He couldn't seem to get a job and was now forced to ride the rails.  He had a criminal history and so he couldn't get a passport, or a union job.  Most people are not kind to him anymore.  How thought provoking.  He cannot get a passport and cannot fly on any major airline since because of his past.   We sure need to live right.  We don't think of the long term consequences of our actions.  I am sure he did not think of that when he did whatever it was that he did.​

David started classes in Humanities at UVU last fall, but his past caught up to him and he got thrown in the slammer for two months.  He had failed out of college and now could not get any financial aid.  He is at a loss.  Nobody wants to give him a chance.  Not surprising seeing that he has huge gauges in his ears.  They showed a lot of interest when we got excited that my son's Mark Mission Call had arrived.  

The whole family gathered in the living room as Mark opened his call.  He teared up a little feeling the spirit as he read that he would be serving in the New Zealand, Wellington mission.  What an amazing call.  That is awesome.  What a blessing for Mark.  Chad, You and Mark seem to have been called to the right place for each of you.  Both a challenge suited to your strengths.

After Mark opened his call, David, who probably was raised LDS, mentioned that his grandfather was ??? and he was in charge of the athletic department at BYU for years and years.  Later, just before David went to bed, he stopped me in the kitchen and thanked me over and over again for our kindness.  As he was thanking me, he got choked up and began to cry.  Here is a big tough hitchiker, and Navajo, who was breaking down, because someone was showing him some kindness.  He said he is trying to clean up his life and get a stable job.  I want to do more to help, but we did what we could.

We decided to take them to Pocatello in the morning since they were heading that way and we were planning to rock climb any way.  They took The Hobbit downstairs and watched it before going to sleep and we watched Unbroken in the living room. 

Friday morning we slept in late.  David slept in till 10:00.  Neither he nor Gery wanted breakfast.  I gave Gery my best external frame backpack, and David a sleeping bag that the zipper had stopped working on.  I guess he can use duct tape or sew the sleeping bag closed then just not zip it.  At least he will be warmer than sleeping with just a tarp....

Today, Jennifer gave a wonderful talk on Resurrection along with the other new young women leaders.  I really felt the spirit and even stayed awake.  It was that good.  In Sunday school we learned about the Good Samaritan.  As our teacher read from a conference talk, I thought of all the injured and dying people we pass every day, but their injuries are on the inside where we can't see them.  Like the hitchhikers, I could't tell how badly they needed help until we talked to them for awhile.​  In some ways they are hurting and beat up worse than the man that the Good Samaritan rescued.  In the Good Samaritan, the man was just in danger of dying physically.  These hitchhikers are in danger of dying spiritually.  How much can a man take before he decides he is lost and becomes so hardened that he can not turn his life around.  We all need to find ways to serve our fellow man all the time.  In as much as ye have done it to the least of these my brethren ye have done it unto me.  Love thy neighbor as thyself.

We are all children of our Father in Heaven.  We are all creations of our Father in Heaven.  We need to remember that.  Heavenly Father loves each of and has given all of us the ability to return to him and become like him.  Sometimes we need a hand to become more like him and in helping others we bring out the best in ourselves.  I just keep wondering what I would do if later in life or in the next, I found out that the Savior was on the side of the road asking for a ride, or maybe one of the disciples of Christ that is still on the Earth is the one asking for help.  Then I remember that Jesus said, "In as much as ye have done it to the least of these my brethren ye have done it unto me."  Does that include ignoring our neighbor in need?  Are we ignoring the Savior?  What about putting ourselves and our family in danger?  Well The Sunday school teacher today said that there is good evidence that the reason the priests passed by was that the road was too dangerous to stop.  They would be putting themselves in danger if they stopped.  I do not want to put my family in harm's way, but what happens to us if we are harmed while doing good???  I really don't know.  Will the lord judge us as poor fathers and protectors, and tell us you did not do very well with the talent I gave you, or will he say, Well done, you sacrificed to help your brother?​  I cannot answer these questions, but want to help when I can. I do not have the means to help many people who need help.  The kind of help they need is beyond my financial means to help.​ I cannot donate hundreds to the mission fund, I cannot pay as generous a fast offering as I'd like to.  Sometimes I feel we need to help others up, and we can't help those up who are above us, so than leaves me helping the homeless.  Well I guess I will stop rambling, I have probably upset some of you.  Please forgive me, I do not mean to offend. I just am never sure of the right thing to do in some situations.  I guess if I read the scriptures, pray, and keep close to the spirit, I will be guided.​

I love all of you.  Stay strong and keep the faith, William"

That is a small snapshot of William and was not a one-time occurrence, he truly always tried to help his fellow men and be the good Samaritan.  He invited the hitch hikers into his home and gave them all that he could and wished he could give more, this from someone who had absolutely zero discretionary income.  Now his family is in need and I hope that we can show all the love for our fellow men that he did and help his family out in this time of need.