The tragic death of 12-year-old Kirkland National Little League player Drew Hanson rips at the heart.
For those of us who are parents, the thought of a child that young dying is tough to handle. We are sure that, just like those of us in the Kirkland Reporter newsroom, all Kirkland residents’ thoughts and prayers go out to the Hanson family in a time of need that very few us could ever understand.
The outpouring of support that some 200 people lent at Peter Kirk Park on Monday evening is a testament to the impact this one boy had on those around him. Friends, family, teammates and acquaintances packed the park to share memories, try to make sense of the tragedy and say goodbye.
But it is also a testament to the people of Kirkland and surrounding neighborhoods. It shows how much people care about each other in this community.
It is also becoming a pattern that those in Kirkland should be proud to have continue.
Editorial staff have lived and worked in many different cities with vast differences in social and economic standards. Working in the news industry, we have gotten to know each one intimately. None of those communities even comes close to this area in compassion.
The recent completion of the Milkin house is one of the largest examples of the compassion that this community exudes in a time of need. The fact that an entire community would come together for one person, Leonid Milkin, is amazing.
Volunteers, community leaders, everyday citizens and local companies joined forces to literally attempt to help rebuild one man’s life after his family was murdered and the house burned to the ground in an attempt to hide the crimes.
But it is not the only example.
The outpouring of support for the Bardinelli family last year was also amazing. Jodi Bardinelli, the former director of the Kirkland Wednesday Market, was a big part of the Kirkland and Bothell communities and was raising three daughters when she got cancer.
Not having health insurance put her and her daughters in a difficult situation when she began to get treatment. After her passing a bartender at Russell’s Restaurant in Bothell put together a fund raiser for her family. Friends, family and community members helped out. The Kirkland Wednesday Market showed their support as well and honored her memory and her family with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in 2010.
Another example is Mary Anne Kobylka who was diagnosed with Stage 2 ovarian-cancer in 2004. Her treatment and spirit kept her alive for five more years. But it was the community that helped to fulfill her final wish. Kobylka hoped to raise $50,000 for research, and friends, family and strangers came to her side.
She was able to accomplish such a lofty goal just after her death and eventually exceeded that total getting to $60,000. Her son’s swim team, the Kirkland High Woodlands Dolphins, raised more than $6,000 through a swim-a-thon by itself.
And while none of these exceptional events of generosity, emotional support and love can change tragic history, it can give us hope for the future and comfort in knowing that our neighbors, even people we don’t know will be there in our time of greatest need.
How you can help
The Drew Hanson Memorial Fund has been set up at U.S. Bank in downtown Kirkland where donations can be made to help support the Hanson family with funeral arrangements. The bank is located at 177 Central Way, Kirkland. For information, call 425-827-4662.
