Support one of our own who has helped so many

Hi, my name is Debbie Wiatroski.

Please read this to understand why I feel called to start this GoFundMe account for my best friend, Marykay Bonk.

Marykay and I met when we were 5 years old. We lived on the same street (Meigs Boulevard in Brook Park, Ohio). She and her parents, Bob and Lou Smith and her brother Bobby, became like my second family.

Marykay and I had a lot in common, including our desire to be nurses. She went to St. Vincent Charity School of Nursing, and I went to Lutheran School of Nursing. We both received our nursing degrees. Marykay stayed at St. Vincent Charity Hospital, and I stayed at Lutheran Hospital. We were both true to our alma maters. Marykay stayed at Charity until they closed the doors in November. She is now in search of a job.

Unfortunately, it is not easy for Marykay to find a job currently. Her values of faith and family have put finding a job on the back burner. Marykay lost her best friend, her husband, John in 2021. He was her backbone and confidant. They were bonded at the hip. They loved to cook together and to share with friends and family.

Along with losing John and her job of forty years, Marykay is now the sole caretaker of her parents and brother. She never complains and keeps her humor and faith no matter what cross she carries and believe me - she has had many crosses to bear. Often in my conversations with Marykay, I will ask her how much more she can handle. Her response is always, “By the grace of God go we.”

But I can see and hear the stress that Marykay is experiencing.

For as long as I have known Marykay, she has always taken care of someone. Even when she goes out with family and friends, inevitably someone will approach her and the next thing you know she is helping that person. We even joked that she should tell people that she is a hairdresser instead of a nurse! Even when she was working, caring for her patients at Charity Hospital, Marykay would drop everything to help any of you, which she did on countless occasions and still does.

The love and care that she has shared with so many is incredible.

I know that she will not be happy with me for starting this GoFundMe campaign. Marykay is always giving and isn’t used to receiving, but this is something I need to do for her. She is not on Facebook so she will not know about this fund. I want to bless her as much as she has blessed everyone she knows. Please help me help her.

Please let us all create a Holy Moment for her. As Marykay would say “by the Grace of God go we.”