Keough Family Fund

Life long friends are the ones that no time apart or distance will alter your friendship. Recently for the first time the fact of me living in America and my best friend living in Australia was actually of use as she could call me guilt free 3am in the morning just to talk as she was fighting for the life of her baby boy. Please read my story and help me help my friend and her family get to a place where they can temporarily ease the pain and come together as a family in the midst of this grief. Although money cannot replace their precious son, it can give this beautiful family something to look forward to as they face the tumultuous path ahead. May your memory live on in those you loved and those who love you. Thank you & God Bless," -  Angie Schutt

April 27th 2015 is a day that most people would now have forgotten about… what they were doing, where they were or who they were with. For parents Jodi and Laine Keough April 27th 2015 is a day they will never forget. It was a day they lived every parent’s worst nightmare. Their little boy’s life was tragically cut short, losing him to a rare disease caused by the brain-eating amoeba, Naegleria Fowleri. Lincoln Cash who was ‘Cash’ to all who knew and loved him had just celebrated his first birthday.  As a mother to a beautiful healthy baby boy myself, I can imagine what it would be like watching your youngest, and only boy playing happily with his older sisters one day and then fighting for his life the next. On April 27th my heart was breaking for my beautiful best friend Jodi. 

I have known Jodi for almost two decades. We have laughed together, cried together and experienced the best and recently the worst of life together. Jodi and I first met in Uni.  Together we achieved our university degrees, we worked together & played sport together… and got up to some mischief together. I recently flew home to Australia to photograph Jodi’s & Laine’s wedding. A day that was filled with love and laughter- with family and friends…  and as their bridal party right by their sides, were their three cherubs (or their pride and joy) Kodi-Laine, Bobbi and Cash.

Though distance now separates us, we continued to watch our dreams unfold together as we grew up. We are born two days apart… so you can imagine our surprise and excitement when we realised that we pregnant together! Jodi with her third, and me with my first. That surprise was made even more special when we discovered that we were not only due in the same week, but that we were both having boys!  After our boys were born (only 3 weeks apart) we joked that even though distance separated them as they lived on different sides of the world, they would be old school pen pals (or more like face time mates!) We even joked that my son Quin, would date one of the Keough girls later on in life... and look out if I had daughters because Cash would be in town. 

I have always loved Jodi and her family like they were my own. Being around them was always something that I longed for and enjoyed when I was home in Australia.  Now that family is broken, but I know with the love and support that will surround them, they will continue to love those around them selflessly. After a beautiful send off for their little boy, they had to make the heartbreaking journey back to their property. The property where something as simple as fresh water was the sole catalyst behind taking their son’s life. I have set this page up not only to help create awareness for this horrible disease but to help this beautiful family regroup and bring some happiness to their lives and their little girls who miss and speak of their brother every day. Initially I told Jodi, “there are people across the other side of the world that don’t even personally know you and they want to do something to help”… she was overwhelmed with people’s kindness.  When I said I wanted to create a fund…  she was uncomfortable with my idea and didn’t accept my offer to do this. Later I explained that I want to help people want to help… so now six months later with their permission, I have set up this page to gather donations to send them to the happiest place on earth. Disneyland. You don’t find a family quite like theirs. They would give you the last item of food from their fridge, the clothes off their backs, their last dollar in their wallet. They would go above and beyond to help anyone in need. They are the single most loving, giving and humble family – please help me get them to a place where they can temporarily ease the pain and come together as a family in the midst of this grief. Although money cannot replace their precious son, it can give this beautiful family something to look forward to as they face the tumultuous path ahead. 

I know all Kodi-Laine’s and Bobbi’s dreams will come true at Disneyland... Laine would be happy to visit a ranch or two on the way … and for Jodi… well like all mums she just wants to see the smiles on her family’s faces no matter where they are or what they are doing.

We often spoke about holidaying together with our families.  We joked that it was just a dream. Well, now I want to turn that dream into a reality and bring this amazingly brave, strong and deserving family to Disneyland.  Through all of this my incredibly strong friend has begun an awareness campaign.  Before evolving into an official foundation, they have created a website in honour of Cash and have made available all the information you need to become aware and prevent this from happening to you.   Please visit www.lincolncash.com.au  Rest in peace little man. May your memory live on in those you loved and those who love you.  Thank you & God Bless.