Kailie's Next Chapter

Hello, my name is Jess Iyan Wenck and I am raising funds for an amazing former student of mine who I now call a friend. Her name is Kailie and this is her senior year of high school. At a time when most seniors are preparing for all of the excitement of their last year in high school including homecoming, prom, and graduation, Kailie was faced with a huge, life changing event. The week before classes began, Kailie's stepdad Chuck passed away from cancer. This was her second loss since I've known her.

I first met Kailie when I was her art teacher in middle school. We got to know one another through my class and the art projects she created. During her 7th grade year, Kailie's mother, Michelle, who had been previously diagnosed with breast cancer, passed away. This was really tough on Kailie, her mom was her best friend, and we spent the rest of the year talking or in silence processing through her grief and what was ahead for her. I spent the next few years watching her stepdad Chuck take over her guardianship and their relationship grow into one full of love. Kailie acted like a typical teenager and Chuck made sure she was responsible and taken care of. I remember conversations with Kailie being upset with Chuck's rules and guidelines and others with Chuck explaining how much he loved Kailie and wanted the best for her.

Chuck had previously battled cancer and treatment had worked. He spent time in remission, but his cancer returned while Kailie was in her first years of high school. They spent the last couple of years balancing treatment options, traveling to different doctors for care, and figuring out how to take care of the house when Chuck could no longer work. Kailie helped pay bills and manage the house while Chuck was getting his treatment. Chuck took a turn for the worse in August and while Kailie was preparing for him to pass, the actual event hit harder than anticipated. Emotionally it hit her due to seeing this process again, yet different this time due to being more a part of the end process. It also logistically hit hard due to Chuck not having a will. Kailie went from taking care of things for Chuck to now being the sole person responsible for a house, truck, and bills due to no longer having a living guardian. She is going to classes and working as much as she can, but needs help getting to a clean start to support herself during this time.

Their house has mortgage payments past due by about $4,000 or more because of having to put them off with medical care and fees being the priority. She is responsible for about $1,600 in bills each month now as well. She is only 17 and taking care of all of this on her own. She has been so responsible through it all. She is doing everything possible to be able to take care of it on her own, but the stress combined with handling her loss is becoming overwhelming. She needs support to catch up and be set up to get ahead and tackle her senior year head on.

She and I have talked about college and she has received offers for scholarships from more than one college or university due to her G.P.A. We are going on campus visits later this month to help her choose the best place for her. I want her to be able to succeed this year and keep her grades up so that these scholarships are an aid in helping her get the degree she wants for her future career.

By donating, you will be helping her be able to focus on school and continue working to provide for her needs. You will be helping show her that she is not alone, even though she feels like it without a guardian anymore. She is such a strong, beautiful, and brave girl! I am so excited to see what her future has in store because I have no doubt she will do something amazing and help others through whatever she chooses. Please join me in helping this girl so she can truly celebrate her senior year and plan for her future without the fear or stress of getting everything she is now faced with taken care of!