Circle of Hope donates one millionth dollar in honor of Norwood girl
NORWOOD - Beautiful Michelle Kennedy. Fun and funny, and taken terribly too soon.
"She was great at writing poems. She was great at putting her own feelings down. She was good at anything. You name it, she was good at it. Until she got sick," her mother Lee Kennedy recalled.
It was 1994 when the Norwood girl passed away from leukemia. She was only 21.
"I don't know how she lifted herself up like this and she hugged me. She laid back down and I sang 'You are my sunshine.' She loved that song. And she died. And that was the end of that," Lee said, emotionally.
The end of that, of Michelle's suffering - was the beginning of something so big. Michelle had a plan to help other sick people, the way her town had supported her. That plan became a promise her mother has kept ever since.
"We just say 'someone called and this is the situation and what can we do to help.' We do it," Lee explained.
Over 24 years, the Circle of Hope has become part of the fabric of Norwood. Treasured traditions like luminary night and a local Dancing with the Stars competition. The fundraisers carry their mission - of supporting sick neighbors through some of their darkest moments.
"Finally, we found out we had hit the one million dollar mark, in financial aid given to the people of Norwood. It's just Norwood," Lee said proudly.
From handicapped ramps, to heating bills, to hospital copays. Circle of Hope has quietly and anonymously helped hundreds and hundreds of Norwood's own. When asked what her daughter would say about the enormous milestone, Lee smiles.
"She'd say 'make it two,'" Lee said.