Raeleigh Bess will turn one on February 13. A month-long hospital stay leading up to her birthday is not what her parents envisioned for the milestone.
“She is super happy all the time,” says Raeleigh’s mom Randi Bess, “She is super smiley and dancing. Give her a beat and she’s dancing.”
On the first of January, her parents noticed she wasn’t her happy, little dancing self. They took her to the hospital in Bolivar, where she was rushed to Kansas City.
“On January 12th we found out she has Acute Myeloid Leukemia,” explains Randi.
Word spreads quickly in a small town, and since Randi is a Bolivar native, the town sprang into action, “It’s overwhelming in the best kind of way.”
Bolivar Assistant Coach Stacy Wells knew this was an opportunity for her team.
“We talk to our teams about community and family and being there for their teammates. We saw this opportunity, as a team, to help one of our own,” said Wells.
The team came up with the idea of a silent auction, asking local restaurants and businesses for donations. Coach Wells says it snowballed from there, “It was overwhelming the support that we got from the Bolivar community as a whole.”