Update on #IStandWithThomasPeters Day!

Dear Friends,

Thank you, thank you, thank you! Last week's #IStandWithThomasPeters day was a huge success! We raised $48,491 in individual contributions. Paired with the $12,000 Catholic Vote raised through it's email campaign our current total is:

$60,491

We had hoped to raise much more than our posted goal of $25,000 for Thomas' continued recovery, but your support blew us away. We are grateful and feel so blessed to have witnessed such great love and support during our #IStandwithThomasPeters campaign. 

Here's a quick recap of the highlights of the day:

TWITTER

Over 1500 individual tweets, an estimated reach of 113,000, with countless RTs! Around lunchtime, #IStandWithThomasPeters was trending in DC — briefly even in 1st place!

Tweets were posted by prominent political figures and members of the media — including: Gov. Mike Huckabee, Michelle Malkin, Josh Duggar, Rick Santorum, Tony Perkins, Gretchen Carlson, Laura Ingraham, Sean Hannity, Katie Pavlich, and Jim Hoft. 

Members of the conservative movement and Catholic new-media tweeted throughout the day, including: Tim Carney, Ryan Anderson, Lila Rose, Tim Stanley, Kate Bryan, William Newton, and Kathryn Lopez.

But most touching of all were the hundreds of people who sent personal messages of support and prayer. Thomas and Natalie were overwhelmed with the prayers and love!

BLOGS

We have full coverage over on our PRESS page, but we wanted especially to share the beautiful piece by Kathryn Lopez: 

"I don’t pretend to know every step along the way, but I knew, unexpectedly standing behind Thomas the other day that I was in the presence of the scene of a miracle — he embodies the power of prayer, the reality of the supernatural; he and his wife are a testament to faith. Good doctors, of course, play no small role in his being alive and improving, but the hope and gratitude he and Natalie demonstrate is rooted in something eternal."

Many people throughout the Catholic blog-sphere spread the word, encouraging support and most of all prayers — special thanks go to Lisa Hendley, Deacon Greg, Catholic World Report, Pat Gohn. (If you posted about #IStandWithThomasPeters, please include the link in the comments or on the Press page, and we'll be happy to add you!)

Many people who supported #IStandwithThomasPeters on Twitter, were hit by the "twitter trolls" (people who attacked you or attacked the campaign). We're sorry you had to go through that, and we thank you for ignoring these messages and bearing them with charity. William Newton has a quick message about all that: 

"The message I hope that you take away from #IStandWithThomasPeters Day is an overwhelmingly positive one, one which you will share with others. It is a story about hope and love triumphing over suffering and sorrow, first of all, but it is also one about the powerful good that media can work in the lives of those in need. ... For everyone involved, it turned out that the fruits of this effort will not just benefit Thomas himself, but all who have witnessed what can result when people of good will are able to reach out and connect with one another."

FACEBOOK

Facebook doesn't have easy tracking but our feeds were certainly FULL with #IStandWithThomasPeters coverage, #IStandwithThomasPeters images, personal stories, and messages of support from all over the world. 

We particularly loved the photos from some of Thomas and Natalie's friends in Michigan in famous Ann Arbor settings — sending a little bit of love from their home state!

Look forward to an update from Thomas and Natalie soon. Thomas started out-patient therapy this week, and is already working hard on his own two month challenge. Meanwhile, we ask you to continue your prayers for Thomas and Natalie, and we assure you of our own prayers, and theirs, of thanksgiving! 

With Love + Thanks,

The #IStandwithThomasPeters Pit Crew