Bryan and Arnell said knowing Ben didn't suffer makes them feel a little better.
While they were at the camp, the couple met some of the boys who tried to resuscitate Ben. The boys were upset because they weren't able to bring him back, said Arnell, who spent time consoling the Scouts.
"I told them they didn't fail at bringing him back. He just wasn't coming back. He was already in heaven. His soul just soared as fast as it could," she said.
Remembering Ben
Ben, who had just finished the seventh grade, had a strong faith and was preparing for his confirmation, his parents said. From attending school at Mary Our Queen to being an altar server at the church to his involvement in Boy Scouts since the first grade, Ben's life revolved around God, they said. The family also often talked about faith at home.
"Our faith just came up in our conversations," Arnell said.
Since Ben's death, the couple said they've found signs of their son's strong faith, including prayers Ben, who was a member of Troop 448, wrote and four walking sticks on which he carved a cross. They also came across his journal - the journal he took with him to Little Sioux and in which he wrote about his time at the camp. In it they found a prayer for his safety and the safety of his family.
In addition to his love of the faith, Ben liked spending time with friends. He played football and baseball, and enjoyed hunting, fishing and camping. When friends would spend the night, they liked to sleep in a tent in the backyard, Bryan said.
Ben also loved playing Star Wars and Legos with his brother, he said.
Moving on
Bryan and Arnell know many people experience anger during the grieving process, but they say they don't have anything to be angry about.
"It was a tornado. Nobody took him from us. It's just something that happened," Arnell said. "How can we be angry about our child being in heaven?"
The couple said they are left with wonderful memories of their son.
Bryan said he treasures the last few hours he spent with Ben - when he drove Ben to Little Sioux and spent time with him at the camp. When he left, he gave Ben a hug and told him he was loved.
"There was nothing to look back on and say we wish we would've done this or we wish we would've done that," Arnell said. "Every day was special."
Printed with permission from the Catholic Voice, newspaper for the Archdiocese of Omaha.
Lisa Maxson is a writer at the Catholic Voice from the Archdiocese of Omaha, Nebraska.