Erica Crews Cantrell's Road to Home

On September 21st, Erica Cantrell's life took an unexpected and difficult turn. She went from eagerly anticipating her husband Caleb's return from his deployment in Africa to anxiously counting the minutes until an ambulance arrived. This was a distressing situation, especially for the junior high students in her classroom who had to witness her seizure. However, they showed remarkable bravery and acted swiftly to call for help, ultimately helping to save Erica that day.

During this challenging period, her husband Caleb was deployed overseas when he received the news that Erica had a tumor. Erica was assigned to a neurosurgeon at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, who discovered that the tumor was larger than initially believed and situated in the left frontal lobe of her brain, affecting the areas responsible for speech and right-side motor skills. On the day of surgery, Erica was surrounded by family, friends, and their collective prayers. While the doctors were able to remove most of the tumor during surgery, she still experienced some seizures. Erica was then moved out of the ICU to a step-down unit. Caleb was able to be with Erica for three weeks but had to report back to the Army National Guard in South Texas on the 16th. On that day, Erica, Caleb, and her family received the news that the tumor was cancerous, necessitating both chemotherapy and radiation therapy to remove the remaining tumor. Once again, Caleb returned home to be by her side. She was placed on antibiotics due to inflammation at the surgical site on her brain. Her journey continues with outpatient rehabilitation for speech, occupational therapy, and physical therapy, all while they face challenges with insurance to cover these expenses.

Before this battle, Erica discovered her passion for agriculture and FFA while in high school. She served as an officer in her FFA chapter, area, and even achieved national grasslands champion status during her high school years. She pursued higher education at Missouri State University, graduating with Magna Cum Laude honors in Agricultural Education. Her teaching career began at Plato School District, where she initially taught science and coached junior high sports. The following year, she became the FFA Advisor at Plato High School, where she taught students from grades 7 to 12. Erica currently serves on the FFA executive regional board. Erica and Caleb reside in Plato, Missouri on the family farm, where they take care of cattle, a miniature donkey, and her beloved cattle dogs. Both are active members of the Roby Baptist Church and enjoy spending time with their family and friends.

Erica's story is one of remarkable resilience and unwavering determination. As Erica embarks on this challenging road of rehabilitation, radiation, and chemotherapy, we humbly request your prayers and support. Please keep Erica in your thoughts and prayers, and also extend your thoughts to those responsible for her recovery. We also ask for your prayers for our family as we strive to be there and support her in any way we can. Your support means the world to us during this difficult time.