BETHANY ROSE REHBEIN MARCH 18, 2005 – NOVEMBER 28, 2022
Jesus called Bethany Rose Rehbein home to Heaven on November 28, 2022. He wrapped her in His love and brought her to meet her Grandpa Jim (Livermore), her Step Grandfather Bob Fisher, Grandparents John and Irma Rehbein, her Uncle Ron Livermore, and Bethany’s state foster adoption case worker, Miriam Dyson, who were all waiting to greet her!
Bethany Rose was born on March 18, 2005. Bethany joined a family of eight other older siblings: Michelle, Jennifer, Christopher, Matthew, Timothy, Stephanie, Jessica and Jacob. When born she weighed in at only 1 pound 12 ounces. Bethany was 13 inches long. You could say the odds were not in her favor. Not only was she very premature, she had major brain defects. She was quadriplegic and non-verbal. Her prognosis was grave indeed. They said she’d likely only live a few more months.
Her adoptive parents, David and Leila Rehbein, first met her in the NICU in Omaha, NE when she was 3 ½ months old, now weighing a whopping 7 lbs. Bethany would prove to be a marvelous miracle and ultimately made progress far beyond any doctor’s expectations.
Bethany time and again proved the “Theys” wrong. They said she would not have any feelings or emotions. They said she would not recognize people; however, we all quickly learned that she was a smart, observant and sensitive child. She got upset every single time her brother Jacob was put into time out! She knew from very early on who would do what for her…Mom did rodeo videos with barrel racing. Dad did gospel singing and yodeling. Her sister Stephanie did contemporary Christian music. Jacob rapped for her. Jessica made funny sounds. Bethany knew what to expect from all her nurses, her school mates…everyone around her! She was Pastor Werling’s “Jesus Girl” and would beam every time he said, “There’s my Jesus girl.” Every sermon had to be listened to closely because each time she heard Pastor say words like “He is Risen”, or Nebraska, Football, Christmas, or “Alleluia”...she would throw her heard toward you with wide open mouth and big eyes as if to say, “Did you hear what he said?”…and you were expected to tell her, “Yes, Bethany, I heard what Pastor said!”
They said she would never walk…but we’ve seen her running down the hall in her walker to get to church! She loved church so much she would begin to cry during the benediction at the end of service. She did not like things that she enjoyed to end, especially church!
Most important of all, Bethany knew Jesus and loved him. Every night her night nurses, or mom, or dad, read her Bible story books and prayed with her before she went to sleep.
Bethany could light up the room with her smile and contagious squeal of laughter.
Bethany was a blessing to her family and was a model to all who knew her of innocence, joy, faith and limitless unconditional love.
Please consider memorials in Bethany's name to her favorite Christian camp for teens and adults with developmental disabilities, His Kids Camp at Camp Luther!
Camp Luther of Nebraska
Attn: His Kids Camp
1050 Road 4
Schuyler, NE. 68661
Or donate online at:
campluther.org
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