In Memory of Andrew Carlson(1991 - 2016)

individual picture
Name
Andrew Carlson
Birth Date
January 14, 1991
Ascension Date
July 14, 2016  
Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Our beloved second-generation brother, Andrew Carlson of Edgewater, MD ascended to the Spirit World on Thursday, July 14. Andrew was a beautiful, lively and free-spirited child, and despite his struggles in later years, he remained loving and serving to his family and friends. He is survived by his parents Eric and Lois Carlson, and his siblings Anna and Stephen.

Let us come together in support of Andrew's family during this important and special time and pray for his victorious transition to a glorious new life in the spiritual world.

Following is an obituary from his parents and the Seonghwa ceremony information.

Sincerely,

Dr. Ki Hoon Kim
Continental Director

​Dr. Michael Balcomb
President

Andrew was born in Washington, D.C to Eric and Lois Carlson. He has an older sister and brother, Anna and Stephen.  Andrew lived his entire life in Edgewater, Maryland which is about 30 miles east of Washington on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay and the South River.

Andrew thoroughly enjoyed his early childhood. He was fortunate to experience a stable family, grandparents, uncles and aunts, cousins and friends. As a youth he went on all kinds of trips and adventures which he delighted in.  Andrew had an amazing ability to excel at a sport he just learned, including basketball, ice-skating, skiing and skateboarding. During these years, he was a beautiful and lively free-spirited child.  His difficulties began to emerge when entering middle school.

Andrew loved his family.  He loved being part of our family activities, from camping every summer at Trap Pond State Park in Delaware to our yearly trips to his grandparents’ home in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.  Riding together on our many day trips in the family station wagon epitomizes our love for one another. This powerful love for each other carried us through the struggles brought on by the intense nature of Andrew’s character and his war with alcohol, drugs and depression as we traveled together as a family in those sorrows and hardships.

Andrew earned his GED, and then attended Anne Arundel Community College for a few semesters. Not finding his future in book learning, he quickly became interested in working with his hands doing yard care and tree removal, construction, and repairing anything mechanical around his home. He struggled hard with finding his niche in this world.

As a teen, he had several friends that he thoroughly enjoyed being with:  Jason Ennis, Brian Potter and Jonathan Carr.  In his adult life, his last friendship, and perhaps deepest, was with Trevor Boothby who was his employer, teacher and friend. Andrew would spend many a day climbing and taking down huge trees and mowing lawns with the “Green Man Trees” company throughout the Metropolitan area.  In addition to teaching a trade to Andrew, Trevor gave him the kind of friendship he always wanted. We want to honor these young men with words of deep gratitude for the joy they brought to our son, Andrew.

Throughout his short but fast-paced life, Andrew fought hard for fourteen years to win over the inner demons that plagued him. He never gave up. He ran on a hope that he could attain his dreams of marriage and to be able to support a family of his own one day. He wanted to attain the work skills necessary to do so.  We believe that in his final days there was a diminishing flicker of this hope and that this was what drove him to seek to find some solace from those inner demons.

Though he passed on to his new life, we do not feel overly sad as he gave this life experience his all.  Those who knew the “true” Andrew experienced his deeply loving and serving nature.  He was our “Christmas” child.  He had to have the yearly fresh-cut Christmas tree stay up through his January 14th birthday.  He bounded (literally) with a vivacious energy that we wish we could have bottled and taken daily.  He served his family in the ways that reflected his nature by cooking dinners for his family, mowing the lawn and trimming the trees, and vacuuming the house.  This he all did spontaneously and willingly.  In conclusion, he has an inner goodness this world could not corrupt.

Because of the urgent need for help for young people struggling with similar issues as Andrew, we ask that you consider donating to a local rehab facility like Hope House in Crownsville, MD.

Seonghwa Ceremony

The Seonghwa Ceremony will take place on Thursday, July 28 at 1:00 PM at:

Selby-on-the-Bay at the Clubhouse – 3715 1st Avenue, Edgewater, MD

The website is: www.selbyonthebay.org

Seonghwa Ceremony

Time
1:00 PM
Date
Thursday, July 28
Location
Selby-on-the-Bay at the Clubhouse - 3715 1st Avenue, Edgewater, MD

Comments (11)

  • John Hitchler

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    The stronger one is, the more potential you have – Satan will be there to destroy. Andrew must have been primed to do many great things, Andrew must have been a wonderful brother or Satan would not of put forth such focused attention to destroy. Go in peace Andrew, heavenly parent will embrace you. My heart is with the father and mother, sister and brother, family and friends. Have peace of mind and heart in due time
    john

    Reply

  • Beth Deshotel

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    Thank you for sharing so candidly about Andrew’s life. I am sorry that I never met him on the earth, but your heartfelt sharing gave me a window into his personality. He is a wonderful person. I know that he will be well tended and will be able to continue his path of growth. Heavenly parent bless you both, Eric and Lois.

    Reply

  • Kasia Stevens

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    I am very moved by Andrew and your sharing. I give your family a big hug. What a journey, it sounds like you traveled it well amidst the difficulties and joys. Thank you.

    Reply

    • Marta Maria de Carvalho Rodrigues

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      A very well recorded life story very well recorded, excites each one who reads it even without neck have known Andrew …

      In fact, the force of evil always tries to claim those who come with a higher divine potential, however I believe that each one of us has a certain amount of time to experience life on earth and after spend this period of time here we must return… The question is: What is the criterion for assessing the existence of earthly time we were allowed to live here?
      I think it will be the need of evolution for each spirits’ lineage … Although, we always find reasons to justify the inevitable return …

      Therefore, to the Andrew´s family and friends and relatives, I let my thank you for this fabulous sharing a short but full life lessons on the way of love.

      May God bless you all, and that Andrew find a wonderful and abundant life in the spiritual dimension, where one day we all will also meet and live forever with him there, without any barriers.

      The brief life of Andrew is a Lesson for all of us.

      Congratulations to the parents, siblings, grandparents, uncles and cousins ​​- who were able to provide to Andrew, the best they had and knew.

      Now all us longing him, but he continues with us in a wider and free dimension, without any limits.
      May our tears may be from longing and not from sadness.

      My solidarity with the bereaved family.

      Love, Marta de Carvalho – Europe

      Reply

  • Mary

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    God Bless your child Andrew as he transitions to the spiritual world, may he be embraced and loved.
    Thank you for your deeply moving testimony, may his parents, brother and sister and entire family and friends feel the sweet embrace of our Heavenly Father’s love.
    With love and prayers,
    Mary

    Reply

  • maria piperis

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    Go bless you Andrew and your loving family. Prayers and love.

    Reply

  • Anne-Marie Mylar

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    Thank you for not being shy about the struggles that Andrew faced in his young life. It helps when we pray. Andrew will be much more free and capable to become the kind of person he wished now. He will continue to love and embrace and support his loving family and friends, with a very happy heart.

    Reply

  • Rosemary Yokoi

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    Your honesty in sharing the difficulties of your son moved me. Andrew sounds like a wonderful person. His eyes reflect a sensitive spirit. Our Heavenly Father must hold him in His arms with great love, as He does your whole family. We shall take to heart your reminder to lift up in prayer those who suffer or struggle.
    With love and honor,
    Rosemary Yokoi

    Reply

  • Penny Brown

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    God bless you Eric and Lois. I echo the sentiments of those who wrote before me, about your sincere honesty and love for your son. May he be surrounded by love in spirit world and find the peace that escaped him on earth.

    Reply

  • Jean Gomis

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    R.I.P Andrew. You are with True Father now.

    Reply

  • Keith Peter McCarthy

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    God bless the Carlson family. All of us gather to embrace you and grieve with you. May Andrew be in a glorious place, welcomed by God and the many righteous ones who have preceded Andrew. None of us really know the challenges we may face as individuals or as a family – let us all stand together in unity.

    Reply

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