Kayla Donnelly-Smith Memorial Fund

Kayla A. Donnelly-Smith was a beautiful, vibrant and amazing young lady. Kayla was one of the few people that was chipping away at all of her dreams and living her life to the fullest while not wasting a day of it. She encapsulated all that it is to be alive, both figuratively and literally. It is this irony that makes it such a tragedy that her life has been brought to such an abrupt end; when her journey was just beginning. At such a young age Kayla had already influenced so many with her ambition and her spark. She was all that a parent could dream of as a daughter, a role model to her young sisters and an adoring partner to her boyfriend. This is one of those unanswered questions of why, only to be answered by God. And it is within this faith, and with the love and strength of family and friends; that we may continue on and only hope that we can take what Kayla has taught us and apply it to our lives as she would have wanted.

Someone like Kayla comes around once in a lifetime and her example should not be wasted, we are all better people for having known her and as we walk away with a little piece of her with us, the world is a better place because of it.

As a parent, seeing someone you love hurt so deeply leaves me with a sense of heartbreak and helplessness. The tragic death of a child leaves a family devastated, and although the exorbitant expenses are the last thing any grieving parent wants to think about, they are inevitable.

There has been an outpouring of requests to assist the family during this horrible time. For that reason, we have set up this memorial fund in an effort to organize all of these generous donations.

We pray for Kayla's mother and family to stay strong during this tragic time, as we all join together to offer them support and love when they need it the most.

Thank you all for your kindness, generosity and support during this difficult time.

Rest in Peace Kayla.