The family of Christopher Thomas Franklin extends our humble and heartfelt gratitude to the many individuals and organizations who supported us during the recent and tragic loss of our son, grandson, nephew, and cousin. Christopher died tragically on Monday, November 10, 2025, in a horrific car accident in Morgantown, West Virginia, while returning with his family from a Caribbean cruise, at the tender age of nine.
We first wish to thank the first responders at the scene and the staff at the Morgantown hospital who valiantly tried to save Christopher. We are deeply grateful to those who used every skill and effort to save the life of his brother, Owen (age 8), and to care for his mother, father, and sister Emma (age 5), all of whom sustained varying degrees of injury. Your compassion, professionalism, and care will never be forgotten.
To our church family of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Kitchener, Hamilton, Stoney Creek, and Morgantown: we have formed lasting friendships with so many of you, and it is difficult to imagine how we would have endured this time without your support. Although we had not previously met those in the Morgantown congregation, your immediate outreach through prayer, fasting, priesthood blessings, and daily acts of Christ-like love and ministering over more than a month meant more to us than words can express.
We extend our sincere thanks to the funeral homes and their staff in both Morgantown and Kitchener, who went above and beyond in caring for Christopher and our family. We are especially grateful for providing Christopher’s mother the opportunity to say goodbye while she was still hospitalized in Morgantown, and for the professional services that made it possible to bring Christopher home to Canada, where he was laid to rest in Wellesley. We also thank the many funeral homes throughout the Waterloo Region who generously donated financial support, either by cheque or through the GoFundMe account. This generosity truly reflects how communities come together during times of deep personal crisis.
A special thank you to the citizens of Wellesley who took it upon themselves to establish a fund to assist Christopher’s family with additional expenses both in West Virginia and at home. We are also deeply thankful to the many church communities throughout the Wellesley area for their love and spiritual care. Gifts of food, handmade quilts, sympathy cards, kind words, humble prayers, blue ribbons, and gathering at St. Mark’s Cemetery in support of the family meant so very much to us. We are also grateful to the Waterloo Regional Police Service for escorting Christopher from the funeral service in Hamilton to Wellesley. These acts of kindness are humbling and truly reflect the light of Christ.
To the many people near and far—many of whom we have never met—who donated to the GoFundMe account, we offer our sincere thanks. Your generosity has helped cover medical expenses not covered by insurance, as well as daily living expenses while Christopher’s parents remain off work for many months.
We are grateful that Owen and his mother were released from the hospital in Morgantown prior to Christmas and were able to return to Canada on a medical flight. Owen’s mother has since been discharged from a Hamilton hospital. Owen remains at McMaster Children’s Hospital in Hamilton, where he will continue to receive care for many more weeks. He will then most likely transition to a children’s rehabilitation centre in Toronto for an undetermined period before returning home.
Finally, and above all, we express our gratitude to our Father in Heaven and His Son, Jesus Christ, for the strength, comfort, and countless blessings received during this most difficult time.
Christopher W. Franklin
Futher-Franklin Funeral Home, Wellesley
On behalf of the entire Franklin Family
www.futher-franklinfuneralhome.com
