With Veterans day and Thanksgiving just passing, we celebrate those who dedicate their lives for us and those who we hold dearest to our hearts. To the men and women sacrificing themselves daily abroad and at continually working for us here at home to being thankful for so much. It is because of them and God’s grace that we get to gather around our dinner tables this holiday and be blessed, (BE MORE) with an amazing meal and the company of loved ones. Some aren’t as fortunate to share this but still look to their faith to guide them in times like this.
Ariell Gipson is a gift from God placed here to be a gift to so many others. She started her journey with eternal life on June 3rd, 2017. She is the daughter of Toddella Brown and Aaron Gipson. Gipson is the granddaughter of Robert Gipson, who served in the US Military and was an auto mechanic. Along with his wife Hattie M. Gipson who worked as a school teacher before God called them home years apart. Gipson she also is the granddaughter of Willie F. J. Brown, who served in the US Army and Airforce and became a U.S. immigration agent and his wife Catherine M. Brown Morris, who worked as a R.S.N. school teacher who also got called home to Heaven years apart. Her Grandad, Barbee Morris Jr served in the U.S. Marines and worked as a U.S. postal carrier before he retired. Before he also got called home in 2015. His passing took place five months before his wife Catherine. The couple lived in Oakland off the 5 freeway area code 510.
Gipson’s mother, Toddella Brown explains that “the number five means God's grace,” and that her family has been abundantly graced with God’s blessings over the years which is why she points out the number five and how it occurs in her family. Ariell was set to live that she had dreamed of. Until the fateful morning of Saturday June 3rd 2017, Ariell Gipson was sitting at a red light behind a Sheriff's Transportation van at H and 5th Street in San Bernardino. The truck driven by the suspect came speeding up from behind and crashed into Gipson’s vehicle causing her to crash into the transportation van and severely injuring her on impact.
It is every mother's worst nightmare, to receive the call that their child has been hurt. Brown was devastated with the call and her heart was broken. Even though she was angry she turned to her faith and prayed to God. She asked him for guidance on how to deal with everything in front of her. Gipson's parents had to make the hardest decision of their lives. Deciding to not allow the doctors to perform a fourth code blue on her. They had already did three since her arrival. The connection between Ariell’s brain and the rest of her body was no longer working as her neck was injured in the crash.
The doctors told both Brown and Gipson that Ariell was an organ donor and that they had to make the choice of whether to keep working on her or to let her go have eternal life.
Gipson was a recent graduate of Summit College where she had just passed her state exam for her LVN. Her plans were to continue school and further her education with her RN. She dedicated her life to helping people and just because she could no longer physically help them did not mean she would stop. So Brown made the heartbreaking decision along with Gipson's father, Aaron Gipson to let their baby go.
Brown was given the choice to help seven people or over 70 people. Seven people with the major organs or 70 with her eyes and other parts of her donated. Brown chose to help 70 people because that’s the path Ariell was headed for. In her life she had plans to help as many people as she could with her LVN career.
The No-Bail Law was supposed to go into effect this year and it was aimed at abolishing California's money bail system. Under this new law people who are charged with non-violent misdemeanors would only be eligible for automatic release within 12 hours of being booked. Anyone else arrested would have to undergo a procedure that would sort them based on criminal history and other criteria. Judge’s would then have control over the offenders that were at a higher risk and over all prisoners in the system. This was formed by Governor Jerry Brown in August of 2018. However, this was put on hold until voters can decide its fate in the November 2020 elections. Brown is currently researching how to amend the name for this law to be named Ariell's law for when it gets put into effect. She knows that Ariell’s passing has a great purpose and she wants to be able “to protect the public from coming into contact with the suspect after committing any crime that has caused an individual to be placed in a position where they are required to fight for their life.”
Although Ariell's life was taken at a very young age she was celebrated. Her family gave her a graduation ceremony at the Forest Lawn Cypress Cemetery. Her celebration can be viewed at the forest lawn's website www.forestlawn.com. Brown is currently asking for the public's assistance with any information that they may have to move forward with amending this law.
If you have any information you'd like to share with her or show her support you can reach her at Toddella Brown PO box 18574 Long Beach, California, 90807.
As you are gather around the table this holiday season be sure to hold your loved ones a little closer, squeeze them a little tighter, and let them know how thankful you are that they are sitting with you this holiday. We often take things for granted and we don't realize just how good life can be with those we love. Be thankful for those who have served, who are currently serving, for the loved ones we have lost, and for those who are still in our lives.