Kenadie was almost 11 then and this week on March 7th, she would be 13.  There is an Everest-sized hole in all of our hearts. Of course, I am mourning the loss of one of the sweetest souls I ever loved and also mourning all of the things that she won’t get to experience. I also mourn for my mom and dad who lost their granddaughter, for our family who will never be the same again, and mostly for my sister, her husband and their 8-year-old daughter who lost her best friend.  

So how do you take all this sadness and that feeling of unfairness and try to find some light?  Honestly, I have zero f-ing clue. Two years later and I still have a hard time finding it. But what helps is to keep busy and to DO something for someone else. Maybe doing something in her name will bring a little light to my heart and especially to those I treasure the most.  

Kenadie had a sage-like quality to her and always seemed so mature, even when she was tiny.  There are so many instances of her acts of kindness. For example, when she was three, she wrapped her arms around a little girl who had just wet herself in class and whispered, “Don’t worry, everyone has accidents.  Sometimes I have them too.” She was three! I know adults who don’t have that kind of emotional intelligence.  

However, my personal favorite story of her kindness was what she did for a little girl at school a few months before she passed away.  This little girl was getting picked on daily and eating her lunch every afternoon in the library with the school librarian. Kenadie made a little gift bag and a card for the girl that read “Ignore the rain and look for rainbows”. She brought it to school and instead of dropping it at the school office, she opted to carry the present around all morning so that when kids asked her who it was for, she could tell them. 

Curiousity won out and several kids asked about the gift. 15 other fifth graders made cards for the little girl.  When lunch rolled around, they all wanted to tag along to see her receive it all. Kenadie and this growing group of kids found the little girl hanging out in her usual lunchtime spot at the library.  When she received the gift bag and 16 cards, the little girl cried and said it was her best day. They all went outside and played the rest of recess. When Kenadie got home that day, she was floating and told her parents it was also her best day. 

I really love this story, because it encompasses the important things you should know about Kenadie: her ability as a change-maker, to be a thoughtful leader and certainly to ALWAYS be kind. 

One of our mission statements at Marrow is to engage in our community in a philanthropic way.  We donate rings and pieces to charities and auctions often, but we really want to do more. I feel called to do more and this feels like the right time.

With Kenadie’s legacy of being loving and kind in mind, we will donate 10% of every "ALWAYS" enamel ring sold to San Diego's Ronald McDonaldhouse in Kenadie’s name. 

RMCHSD is a truly wonderful non-profit organization that is recognized for their work in supporting familes experiencing childhood cancer. Kenadie and her immediate family were supported by Ronald McDonald house, so it feels like the perfect non-profit to support other families dealing with childhood cancer.

Sharing Kenadie’s story and continuing her legacy of kindness is more therapeutic than you could ever know. Grief is a long and windy road that doubles back on itself like a snake, time and time again.  I called my little sister up a few weeks ago to tell her about this project. I was excited and a little nervous—would she like the idea? Instantly, I could hear her smiling through the phone. She was genuine and so excited when I told her, and I couldn’t help but feel like I have found some of the light I’ve been looking for. 

Kenadie really is magic.