Crawford Brown Edwards III

1999 - 2022

Crawford Brown Edwards, III
May 20, 1999 - March 5, 2022
Macon, Georgia - Crawford Brown Edwards, III died on March 5, 2022. Crawford was born in Macon, Georgia on May 20, 1999 to Kristy and Brown Edwards and his two sisters; Christine and Milly Parks. He was predeceased by both his paternal grandfather, Crawford Brown Edwards, and his maternal grandfather, John Matt Bingham. Survivors include his paternal grandmother, Mildred Taylor Edwards Dennis and his maternal grandmother, Vivian Howard Bingham. His precious family includes numerous devoted aunts and uncles and many cousins.
A Celebration of his Life will be held Friday, March 11, 2022 at Christ Church with private burial. Rev. Cynthia C. Knapp will officiate. A Visitation will be held from 5 until 7PM Thursday at the residence of Bonnie and Joe Starr, 4533 Old Club Road, Macon, GA 31210. Donations may be made to fund OI research to Shriners Hospitals for Children, 2900 Rocky Point Drive, Tampa, FL 33607 or the OI Foundation, P.O. Box 824061, Philadelphia, PA 19182-4061 or Stratford Academy, 6010 Peake Road, Macon, GA 31220 or Christ Church, 582 Walnut Street, Macon, GA 31201.
Shortly after Crawford's birth, he was diagnosed with a severe form of Osteogenesis Imperfecta, Type III which is commonly known as OI or Fragile Bones. At the time of his death at 22 years of age, he had suffered over 53 broken bones, 28 surgeries, and over 60 trips to Montreal. In Montreal he was one of the first participants in the newly developed protocol and scientific study discovered by Dr. Francis Glorieux and his team through Shriners and McGill University. It was Shriners who cared for Crawford's entire medical needs: treatments, diagnostics, equipment, therapy, and every other aspect of his health and well- being from birth to 21 years of age. Without this excellent care, it is unimaginable what his quality of life or longevity might have been.
Crawford was a student at Sonny Carter Elementary School and then transferred to Stratford Academy in the fifth grade and it is from there he graduated in 2017. During these school years he made many life-long friends in both his classmates and teachers. He loved playing Miracle League, a nonprofit baseball league for the challenged and disabled.
It was during his senior year at Stratford that he had to undergo an extensive surgery to lift his spine off his heart and lungs. He recovered in time to graduate and matriculate into the University of Georgia with the Zell Miller Scholarship. He pledged Kappa Alpha Fraternity and enjoyed fun, football, and wonderful friendships. He was working towards becoming a Sports Psychologist, a dream he had because of his great interest and deep passion for sports, namely the NBA and college football. His fascination and admiration for elite athletes allowed him to live vicariously through them; a way he could experience sports being disabled. He marveled at the elegance and awesome power that those athletes possessed.
Between January and June of 2019, Crawford had 6 surgeries to rod his arm and shunt his brain to protect him from the threatening hydrocephalus. He was very sick for most of those 6 months and could not attend college. He went through all these trials with grace, dignity, and stoicism.
As the world crisis with Coronavirus eased and he got a bit better, he was able to enroll in Middle Georgia State University and was a student there at the time of his death. He was employed at his beloved alma mater, Stratford Academy, where he was reunited with his favorite teachers and staff and worked as a substitute teacher and tutor.
Crawford was astoundingly never bitter or resentful. By allowing us into his life, to help him and love him, he taught us more about living and gratitude than we could ever learn alone. His brilliance far outshined any shadow that Osteogensis Imperfecta could ever cast over him. One of his favorite quotes was from Winston Churchill: "When you're going through Hell, keep going" and he did until such a time, on Saturday, March 5th, 2022 he didn't have to anymore and God carried him home, healed and relieved.
Visit www.snowsmacon.com to express tributes.
Snow's Memorial Chapel, Bass Road, has charge of arrangements.