By Dan Wooding
Founder of ASSIST Ministries

RIVERSIDE, CA (ANS) -- Christopher Laurie, the 33-year-old son of evangelist Greg Laurie, was killed at around mid-day today (Thursday, July 24, 2008) in an automobile accident on the 91 freeway in Southern California.

Skip Heitzig, senior pastor of Calvary of Albuquerque said, “Greg Laurie is one of my best friends and my heart dropped and is still falling. On behalf of the Laurie family I want to solicit as many prayers from the Body of Christ as possible.

“Christopher (we all called him ‘Topher’) was on the 91 Freeway in southern California when this occurred about mid-day. Topher was the firstborn son of Greg and Cathe. He is not only survived by his parents but by his wife, Brittany and daughter Stella and by his younger brother, Jonathan.” (The family is shown in the accompanying photo.)

Heitzig went on to say, “Please keep this precious family lifted before God's throne, that God's peace and comfort would envelop them and that He would guard and embrace their grieving hearts. Topher and his wife used to come every week to our church at Ocean Hills while I served there. I was able to watch their relationship blossom into marriage and rejoiced when their daughter Stella was born.

”Though I know he is right now with Jesus in heaven, I will deeply miss this talented and sweet young man. Thank you for your prayers.”