To all who mourn for my mom,

I want to thank you for your support and the many prayers which I know you have offered both
for my mom and myself.
On September 23, two days before I was rescued, the Coast Guard called off their search for my
mom and I. When I was rescued, the Coast Guard chose not to resume their search for my mom, saying
"survivability -- we're beyond that point." At this point my mom has been in the North Atlantic Ocean for
more than a month without a life raft, food or water. Typically, a person can survive three to seven days
without water and about a month without food.
I hope beyond words that my mom will be recovered; however, I understand that is highly
unlikely. I know if I had died at sea I would want someone to hold a service for me promptly once it
became certain that I was deceased. As difficult as it is to acknowledge that there is no longer any
probability of my mom being alive, I feel that I have a responsibility to her to ensure that a service is
held honoring her memory at which all who knew her are welcome. I also feel a service is something
which I need to help me attain a sense of emotional finality which I hope will allow me to exit the state
of purgatory like uncertainty I am now in. I hope you too will gain an amelioration of peace from the
service, and that the service will be a time where we can come together as people who loved my mom
to support one another in our suffering and honor my mom's memory.
When I initially reached out to schedule a service for my mom, I was told by the priest who I
spoke to that a funeral service was appropriate given the circumstances and could be held.
Subsequently, the Archdiocese intervened by issuing a decision saying a funeral cannot be held prior to
the issuance of a death certificate; so, the service was changed to a prayer service, which is not a mass,
and the location was changed to Saint Patrick - Saint Anthony parish in Hartford, 285 Church Street.
Parking is in the lot across the street and will be validated by the church. When arriving, please
go to the parish center adjacent to the church where you will be buzzed in. There will be a room for us
to gather until everyone has arrived. Then, at 10:00 am, we can process together to the chapel where
the prayer service will be held.
The service will be about 45 minutes in duration, and there will be an opportunity at the end for
all gathered who wish to speak, to share their memories of my mom by talking about her gifts.
I ask for your continued prayers for the peace and rest of my mom's soul in Heaven. I also ask
you to pray for me in this time of continuing hardship, as well as for greater truth in the media, and a
strengthening of a sense of justice in the hearts of all media and law enforcement personnel.
I will keep each of you in my prayers.
Sincerely,
Nathan Carman