Dylan Slott lifts weights during rehabilitation in Colorado. Photos from Rev. Michele Slott.

"All of my United Methodist family, from the time I was a child until now, serving as the pastor at Open Heart UMC, and people throughout my life have reached out. Everybody who connects with us is doing it for love. All these people love us and are trying to help us. They ask people they know to help, and friends are saying yes. It has been amazing," shared Rev. Michele Slott, whose son suffered a spinal cord injury because of a motorcycle accident on September 25, 2024. Read Dylan's story about the accident.

The United Methodist Church is a connectional denomination. The idea of connection is rooted in the movement led by John Wesley in England, beginning in 1739. The United Methodist Church defines connection as the principle that "all leaders and congregations are connected in a network of loyalties and commitments that support, yet supersede, local concerns."

The Dakotas Conference of the United Methodist Church pronounces connectional strength as a value that guides the conference's work to live out its mission "to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world." Pastor Michele is experiencing the value of connectionism as she journeys with her son Dylan through the rehabilitation process.

"There has been a tremendous outpouring of people praying, sending cards, donations, wanting to help in whatever ways they can. I am experiencing the United Methodist connection clear back to my home church, DeSmet United Methodist Church, through being a First United Methodist Church member in Rapid City. At First UMC, I was in lay leadership and became a pastor following John Britt and Sharla McCaskell," said Pastor Michele.

People are staying connected to Dylan's journey through Caring Bridge. "People want to know what is going on. They want to know how to pray. They want to offer whatever they can in support of our family," stated Pastor Michele.

Open Heart UMC shares God's love.

Open Heart UMC is a small congregation that continues to flourish and share God's love in Pastor Michele's absence as the connectional structure sprang into action to support Pastor Michele and the congregation.

When Dylan was missing, Pastor Michele contacted her colleague and longtime friend, Rev. Sharla McKaskell, Knollwood Heights UMC in Rapid City.

"Sharla has been the first on the scene. I called Sharla when Dylan first disappeared," describes Pastor Michele.

When Dylan was found and airlifted to Colorado, Slott knew she would not only need someone to preach that Sunday but also realized she would need to step away from the congregation she loves and serves. Pastor Sharla stepped in to lead worship at Open Heart  UMC in addition to Knollwood Height UMC in the initial days. Since then, area active and retired pastors have been providing pulpit supply.

"I have unplugged from Open Heart," said Slott. "They have been wonderful about that. I get texts, emails, or phone calls occasionally if they are worried, need clarification, or want to check-in. I try to call at least one congregation member once a week to talk. I do so care about them."

Rev. Dan Bader, Southwest District Superintendent, met with the leadership at Open Heart UMC to plan for Pastor Michele's absence.

"I met with the leadership of the church and shared the conference was willing to cover pulpit supply costs. Our initial goal was to see if someone might be able to cover the majority, but they literally said, 'Let us find pulpit supply.' They knew that we didn't know how long Michele would be away," explained Bader.

Eli Dodds, office assistant at Open UMC, says everyone has been supportive and flexible.

"People have been stepping up. Each week, we have had a different pastor. The musicians have been very supportive. It is a little more work in the office when the pastor is gone, but things are happening," said Eli.

During Advent, Rev. Dan Bader leads worship at Open Heart UMC.

"We wanted to make sure that there was consistency during the Advent season. I am leading worship through the first of the year," said Bader.

Lay people are handling care ministry and Pastor Sharla is on call for emergencies and funerals.

Building God's love through Dylan's Den.

The house where the Slotts live is a split-level home. The main level has a kitchen, dining room, and living room, but no bedrooms or bathrooms. The staircases and doors are narrow and not wheelchair accessible.

Prior to the accident, 19-year-old Dylan had been living at home. Adjusting to the realities of a spinal cord injury along with a natural desire for independence led to reimagining Dylan's living situation in the near future.

"We decided to tear down our carport and add an apartment. It is a bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen with laundry. There will be a ramp where he can enter his apartment without coming through the house.  Creating a space for Dylan means a lot. A place where he can be in his own space, or he can come into the main house as well. Scott and Sharla [McKaskell] gone above and beyond," Pastor Michele said.

Scott McKaskell is coordinating efforts to build Dylan's Den. As a general contractor, he and his subcontractors are donating the professional labor needed. Scott coordinates volunteers to assist. Contact Pastor Sharla if you would like to volunteer.

"Scott has committed to organizing volunteers. Because several of his subs [subcontractors] are donating their time, there will be no cost for the workmanship. There will be the cost of the supplies or building materials," explains Pastor Sharla. "Michelle and Dylan have been working hard on details because you don't just do the normal building. Everything will be wheelchair accessible—free clearance, door width, and the height of all the counters and the doorways. They want to make this his space because he is an adult."

The goal is to complete Dylan's Den by the end of January. Scott will dedicate two to three days each week to the project, working with volunteers and subcontractors.

"People have been coming from multiple churches, outside the church, and from other places to work on this. My sister, who serves as a youth and family ministry person in Minnesota, has reached out. It will not surprise me if she brings people from her church to work on it," shared Pastor Michele.

Rob and Steve visit Dylan in the hospital.

Two volunteers interested in helping with Dylan's Den are Rob and Steve. The two bicyclists from Boulder, Colorado, were the first to discover Dylan after his accident. They were biking through Spearfish Canyon and heard Dylan calling.

They later made contact with the Slotts. "They came to visit Dylan in the hospital," said Slott. "They have been touched by God giving them the chance to be part of Dylan's rescue. They want to be part of Dylan's journey as he recovers."

Steve has a background in architecture, and Rob has been a handyman after retiring from a career as a geologist. The two men, in their seventies, are part of a men's group at a UCC congregation in the Boulder area. They have a strong interest in Dylan's thriving. Rob plans to come for several days in December and bring people from his church.

Other Dakotas UM connections have joined the efforts. "Everyone just volunteers and things are coming together. I put it on Facebook, people text, and pretty soon we have a work crew. It has been great weather with good volunteers making this build happen," said Rev. John Britt, Grace UMC, Piedmont, South Dakota.

Others connect with God's love through fundraisers.

Costs for building Dylan's Den, traveling to Colorado, and incidentals along the way are another burden that the Slott family is not bearing alone. People are sharing God's love through fundraisers and donations.

The United Methodist clergy in the Rapid City area meet every Tuesday morning for coffee. One morning, they were brainstorming ways they could support the Slott family and came up with the idea of holding a fundraiser at three different Pizza Ranch restaurants.

"We had several successful fundraisers with Pizza Ranch when I was at First UMC in Rapid. I reached out to Pizza Ranch and we decided on a date and three locations," said Britt.

On November 4, at three Pizza Ranch locations—Rapid City, Spearfish, and Sturgis—Pizza Ranch dedicated ten percent of all profits to the Slott family.

Donation boxes or jars were set on each table in the three locations. Each donation box or jar displayed a brief story about Dylan's accident and the apartment build. The result so far is $6,000. Britt made the boxes for Sturgis. Rev. Jason Christensen, Trinity UMC in Lead, South Dakota, made donations jars for Spearfish. Rev. Stephanie Eliason, Cayon Lake UMC in Rapid City, created donation jars for Rapid City. 

Donation box at the Sturgis Pizza Ranch. Photo by Rev. John Britt.

"I am just smiling at how God does this stuff. Every church helped in some way," said Pastor Sharla. 

Pastors or people from the churches helped greet and welcome guests, clear the plates, clean the tables, and vacuum at the end of the night. The efforts reached beyond the United Methodist connection. 

"Some people came to the Pizza Ranch that had no clue what was going on and would ask about it. They made donations. There was so much goodness that came from so many people," said McCaskell.

Open Heart UMC hosted a soup lunch with a dessert auction on November 17. People purchased tickets for $15 to enjoy a variety of soups. Judy Evans, a member of Open Heart UMC, spearheaded the event, which surpassed the goal of raising $3,000.

"I felt like we needed to do something," said Evans. "I always think of Pastor Michele as being our shepherd. Her flock really came through. It was glorious!"

Evans's two sour cream raisin pies sold for $200 each. Rev. John McKnight's lemon meringue pie was another high-bid dessert. One hundred twenty-five people attended, sharing $6,000 in gifts through ticket sales and the dessert auction. Open Heart members visited other United Methodist congregations in the area to promote the event.

"It is a tiny congregation. The amount they raised is amazing," said Pastor Michele. "It is the power of people who love other people. They buy a ticket to eat soup or bid on a dessert because they want to help these people because they matter to somebody I care about."

The two events raised $12,000 for the Slott family. Additionally, First UMC in Rapid City designated their mission offering in November to the Slotts. That offering yielded $3,000. If you would like to contribute to the Slott family, write a check out to Michele Slott and mail it to Interfaith Credit Union, P.O. Box 5540, Rapid City, South Dakota, 57709. In the memo line of your check, write Dylan Slott fund.

"At both events, there were people from all the United Methodist churches and the community. It was a great way for people to come together without pretense and help our friends. I think it honored God because we were working together," said Pastor Sharla.

Holy Spirit will continue to show God's love.

Dylan will be discharged from inpatient rehabilitation in late December, after Christmas. He will move into off-campus housing to begin outpatient rehabilitation. After two weeks in outpatient therapy, he will fly home to Rapid City.

A sign along the path at Craig Hospital in Engelwood, Colorado.

Michelle is transitioning to spending more time back in Rapid City. She will be in Colorado when Dylan transitions from inpatient to outpatient therapy, Christmas, and discharge. She requests continued prayers.

"It has been a lot of mom time for Dylan. I will be present when he wants and needs me," she said. "This is a long-term process. The most dramatic part of recovery is in the first six months. Some people will continue showing signs of increased mobility and sensation ten years later. Every spinal cord injury is different, and every person is different. Most of all, I would ask for prayers for his mind and heart. A 19-year-old suddenly not being able to walk is a huge deal. All the things he loved to do required leg power. He has to find new things to love."

Sharing Dylan's story and sharing updates is another way to support the Slott family. Creating an open heart and spaces for those with mobility limits is a continual way to support Dylan and his family.

"Dylan wanted to share the story. Pastor Q, [Quaya Ackerman], set up a Caring Bridge page that has allowed the journey to be shared with others," said Pastor Michele. "People really do care. You don't necessarily know why they care other than the fact that they heard your story. They heard your story and can connect with the 19-year-old boy, a mom, or a pastor, whatever sparks their compassion. It is the connection that shares the story and connects us in love and action. I am now more aware of what it is like to support a person with a spinal cord injury and spaces and places where wheelchairs can navigate."

The United Methodist connection, prayers and the Holy Spirit sustain Pastor Michele, Dylan, and the entire family. She shares this example.

"FES [Functional Electrical Stimulation] bike therapy involves putting these patches on Dylan's legs, and an electrical stimulus causes the muscles in his legs to move the pedals. He does not feel his leg moving the pedals, but he receives the benefits of the exercise in his heart, lungs, and muscles. I equate this with the Holy Spirit working through our connection. We are connected, and everything is firing. Everybody is working towards making things better for our family. I did not see it the same way before because I did not see it in action. Now I have seen the United Methodist connection in action."