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Vol. 35, No. 2
April 2022
Elko Edition Reachi Reaching ing Elkhart, Kosciusko, Noble And LaGrange Counties
Mikel keeps
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across the decades
%\ .(,7 %\ .(,7+ .1(33 %\ .( , + .1 .1(3 (33 3 (GLWRU ( (G LWWRUU Simply put, in a perfe perfect e world, children are not supposed to die before re their thee parents. In reality, we don’t live in a perfect perffec e t world. woo Mark and and Kathy Katt Mikel realized the full realityy of that imperfection i 18 years ago when daughter, Kelsey, n their theirr 16-year-old 1 was w s killed in wa i an automobile accident just northeast of o Nappanee. Nearly Near a l two decades later, the emotions are still visibly raw as Mikel recalled in i vivid detail the events of Aug. Augg. 20, Au 0, 2004, and the days that followed. He recalled their rising concern l wed. H lo as theyy learned that Kelsey was late and then thee failed to show up to meet a friend to go to a NorthWood frii football game. Then, the knowfoot fo ott ing ing dread as a Wakarusa police carr pulled in to their driveway and an officer informed them aan tthat h their daughter was in an accident aac and was at Elkhart General Gee Hospital in an unknow kn own n condition. coo known He continued the story stor st ory of their the thei time in the hospital, surrounded by friends friend d and family, learning of the severity of their th heir daughter’s d injuries and the eventual diagnosis diagnossi that she had no remaining brain function. Then a cross cro r ss country coach at NorthWood, Mike Mi Mikel kel went w nt on to relate we r how the WaNee communityy ssurroun mu undee his family with love and surrounded supp support, p ort, including ngg close friends Jack Lengacher and Dan Bearss s w who organized 80 people, including member memberss of five area high school cross ccountry co un ntr tryy team teams, ams, to t join Mikel on a morning run only o ly a ffew days after the accident. on H w he and Kathy made the decision Ho How $/:$<6 5(0(0%(5(' ³ 0DUN 0LNHO KROGV D FKHU to donate all of Kelsey’s viable organs LVKHG SKRWR RI KLP DQG KLV GDXJKWHU .HOVH\ WKDW ZDV to needy recipients across the country. WDNHQ VKRUWO\ EHIRUH KHU GHDWK LQ 1RZ WKH H[HFX And then how 1,100 people, including WLYH GLUHFWRU RI 7KH &HQWHU LQ 1DSSDQHH .HOVH\·V SKRWR around 400 of Kelsey’s schoolmates, DQG PHPRU\ DUH NHSW LQ WKH IRUHIURQW RI KHU IDWKHU·V OLIH crowded into Nappanee Missionary 3KRWR E\ .HLWK .QHSS
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Church to offer their condolences and support. Now, 18 years later, the memory of Kelsey lives on, even through people who never met her, including some who weren’t yet born when she died. Each Thanksgiving morning since 2004 faithful supporters show up for the “I’m Thankful Four,” a four-mile road run to benefit the Kelsey Mikel Memorial Foundation, which provides two scholarships to NorthWood High School seniors. The first is a $1,500 one-time scholarship to a senior member of the school’s yearbook staff and the second, the “Dreams Come True” award, given to a senior “with passion, vision and dreams, who has plans to impact the world in positive ways.” The scholarship provides $1,000 annually for four years to a senior NorthWood student who applies and is then selected by the nineperson board, which includes Mikel. After this year’s awards are given, Mikel said the foundation will have provided more than $105,000 in aid to students. The annual run and walk, which began only seven months after Kelsey’s death thanks to the organization of family friends, has grown into a popular Thanksgiving morning event that attracts hundreds of runners, walkers and supporters each year. The event, which was held virtually in 2020 and both in-person and virtually in 2021, plans to return to a full in-person format this November. The Mikels have been active in many other organizations to help preserve their memories of Kelsey. They have been active in the Indiana Donor Network, which helps facilitate organ, tissue and eye donation and transplants across the country. They are also active with the organization’s annual “Gift of Life Celebration,” at which Mikel has played an integral role as its emcee for several years. “August 21 is a day that I’ve always allowed myself to be in a bad mood,” Mikel said, referring to the anniversary of his daughter’s death. “Last year on August 21, my daughter, Mattie, gave birth to our first grandchild. It has allowed me to redefine that day.” Mikel said one of his wife’s biggest fears was people wouldn’t remember Kelsey. Through their efforts and the support of their community, it is assured that her memory will continue to live on. For more information about the “I’m Thankful Four” run, visit www.thankfulfour.org or email info@ thankfulfour.org.
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