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Please give to Ms. Brenda’s funeral expenses & family support
Brenda Pernell, affectionately called “Ms. Brenda” by her students, dedicated her life to caring for children. For over 30 years she nurtured, loved, and taught children in the early childhood centers where she worked. Ms. Brenda’s work serving infants and toddlers, who will someday become North Carolina's future leaders, was a labor of love. During an interview in 2018, Ms. Brenda recalled, “I started working part-time in childcare in high school and loved it. I’ve always known that [working with children] is what I wanted to do.” Ms. Brenda did the work she felt called to do, even though working in this field often comes with low pay and few benefits. In addition to the children she cared for in the early childhood setting, Ms. Brenda, was a proud mother of three children.
On April 25, 2019, Ms. Brenda’s life was cut short when she passed away after a stroke. Without health insurance, she had been unable to get care for her heart and blood pressure. Ms. Brenda’s family and her community lost a devoted mother, loving wife, and a hardworking teacher. Ms. Brenda leaves behind her husband of twenty-nine years, three sons (Christopher, 26, who will graduate college in a little over a week, Brandon, 20, and Johnavan, 12), her sister Tracy Forte, extended family members, countless families whose lives she has touched over the years, colleagues at Little Believers Daycare, friends, and her spiritual family. Ms. Brenda and her family paid a price that no one should have to pay.
Ms. Brenda’s commitment to families expanded beyond her efforts to care for our state’s youngest citizens. Last year, she courageously joined other early childhood educators’ efforts to speak out about the lack of access to health care that she and so many other hard-working families face. In sharing her story, she let others know that they are not alone, and helped paint a picture of the families who could benefit from access to affordable health coverage. She knew based on her own experience that parents’ health and child well-being go hand-in-hand. Ms. Brenda had a gentle, quiet demeanor, but she was willing to speak up about the plight of working families in hopes that North Carolina would do right by them, and provide health coverage to hard-working families.
NC Child’s staff met Ms. Brenda while interviewing parents across the state who make too much to qualify for Medicaid, but not enough to purchase private health insurance. We had the opportunity to hear her powerful story in her own words. We are heartbroken for Ms. Brenda’s family, and all those who knew and loved her. Ms. Brenda has dedicated her life to helping the families of others. We ask you to join us in supporting her family during this unbelievably difficult time. Please help us reach our goal to cover the funeral expenses, and help her family get through this tragedy.
Brenda Pernell, affectionately called “Ms. Brenda” by her students, dedicated her life to caring for children. For over 30 years she nurtured, loved, and taught children in the early childhood centers where she worked. Ms. Brenda’s work serving infants and toddlers, who will someday become North Carolina's future leaders, was a labor of love. During an interview in 2018, Ms. Brenda recalled, “I started working part-time in childcare in high school and loved it. I’ve always known that [working with children] is what I wanted to do.” Ms. Brenda did the work she felt called to do, even though working in this field often comes with low pay and few benefits. In addition to the children she cared for in the early childhood setting, Ms. Brenda, was a proud mother of three children.
On April 25, 2019, Ms. Brenda’s life was cut short when she passed away after a stroke. Without health insurance, she had been unable to get care for her heart and blood pressure. Ms. Brenda’s family and her community lost a devoted mother, loving wife, and a hardworking teacher. Ms. Brenda leaves behind her husband of twenty-nine years, three sons (Christopher, 26, who will graduate college in a little over a week, Brandon, 20, and Johnavan, 12), her sister Tracy Forte, extended family members, countless families whose lives she has touched over the years, colleagues at Little Believers Daycare, friends, and her spiritual family. Ms. Brenda and her family paid a price that no one should have to pay.
Ms. Brenda’s commitment to families expanded beyond her efforts to care for our state’s youngest citizens. Last year, she courageously joined other early childhood educators’ efforts to speak out about the lack of access to health care that she and so many other hard-working families face. In sharing her story, she let others know that they are not alone, and helped paint a picture of the families who could benefit from access to affordable health coverage. She knew based on her own experience that parents’ health and child well-being go hand-in-hand. Ms. Brenda had a gentle, quiet demeanor, but she was willing to speak up about the plight of working families in hopes that North Carolina would do right by them, and provide health coverage to hard-working families.
NC Child’s staff met Ms. Brenda while interviewing parents across the state who make too much to qualify for Medicaid, but not enough to purchase private health insurance. We had the opportunity to hear her powerful story in her own words. We are heartbroken for Ms. Brenda’s family, and all those who knew and loved her. Ms. Brenda has dedicated her life to helping the families of others. We ask you to join us in supporting her family during this unbelievably difficult time. Please help us reach our goal to cover the funeral expenses, and help her family get through this tragedy.
Organizer and beneficiary
Brandon Pernell
Beneficiary