Hope and Friendship calls on community to rally around a family

12 years and 5 months ago I was blessed to meet the most beautiful and amazing 6 kids that this corner of the world has been gifted to call it's own.

However it was a heartbreaking day as I met them on the day that their mother had died. I was called to the home after offering to assist in any and every way I could. I took them food shopping, I helped their father with settling in the paperwork and first steps that a widower needed to take, I coordinated meals from you to them from that day through the entire school year (through June 2007). You offered to help and they were helped. These kids captured my heart and captured my own kids' hearts. We went to Chuck E Cheese, a Chicago Fire Game, Lemont Park Dist Pool, played basketball, and as they grew I was grateful to watch them develop into the amazing young people that they are.

Thursday morning I was called to their home to walk with them through the first few hours after they had discovered that their father had passed away.

Michael Devitt, father of Michael, Monique, Jessica, Jordan, Kyle and Katy, passed away sometime before the morning of Thursday May 2nd.

Today these beautiful young people had to sit in a funeral home to plan the second of their parents final services.

I am calling on our entire community to join with me to surround these young people with support in any and every manner. I know we can do this. Two of these beautiful young friends are still within our Lemont High School system. Two of these beloved are in college. Two of this collective heart beating hearts within our arm's reach are trying to move into the first chapter of their adult future. One of those two is on the path to serve our country as a Marine.

What can you do?

Offer funds to help cover the cost of the services, the costs of their living, the funds to help them achieve the being they have been sent here to be.

Those of you who are parents, think about your child losing both parents. What would you want our community to do to support your child?

The love and a support of a village CAN support the broken hearts of 6 children/young adults.

The love and support of a village can sustain the needs of 6 young friends who have known no other than the boundaries and support systems that this community has offered to so many.

The love and support of this community WILL help this family.

Here is the first step....

If you would like to donate to help the Devitt Kids here are two options:

Stop by Lemont Bank & Trust Bank

12400 Archer Avenue, Lemont, IL 60439 and offer a donation to the account set up for the the Devitt Family Fund set up by

Hope and Friendship Foundation. Anyone wishing to make a contribution to the fund will only need to mention the Devitt Family Fund, tellers will complete the deposit tickets for you.

Or

Contribute to the Hope and Friendship Foundation's Paypal

www.hopeandfriendshipfoundatio...

memo line- Devitt Family

Or mail a donation to

Hope and Friendship Foundation- Devitt Family

721 Hickory St, Lemont, IL 60439

Second, if you can offer your support in presence for Mike Devitt's final services here is Monique's post:

"Firstly, I would like to thank everyone who has offered their love and condolences for our family as we are dealing with the loss of our father, Michael Devitt.

For anyone who is interested, we will be holding a funeral service for him at Leak & Sons Funeral Homes.

Visitation: 4-7 pm, Sunday May 5

Funeral service: 10-12, Monday May 6

Leak & Sons Funeral Homes

Address: 18400 S. Pulaski Rd.

Country Club Hills, IL 60478"

After these first two steps we will help these young friends through this most horrendous few days I will have more that I need help with to rally around them. I will tell you from my heart that these 6 young friends are the most amazing young people that God has blessed this community with and what they are now facing is a challenge that I would pray to not be put on any young, or older than young person. However, I know that I love them more than words can express and I know that our community is more amazing than any other community on the face of this earth so I know we can hold them up. I know we can sustain them. I know that they will continue to feel loved from even more persons than they will ever meet or know.

My heart is so broken tonight.

If I had powers I would've been able to heal cancer this week for my glowing green loving angel, stopped a beautiful young man from seeing no hope, created a miracle of healing from cancer for a father of two 5 year old angels, and healed a another father of 6 young friends so they wouldn't know the reality of burying their second parent.

Please understand need is always here and now but right now the need is greater than one would ever want to know.

I lay my head down tonight praying for peace, love, comfort, strength, and healing will be felt by those who have suffered such great loss and trials over this past week.

Please know that I am only a conduit and you are the means to meeting needs that I present to you.

I can only be the voice, you are the light in the storm.

Hug your loved ones with extra effort and love tonight.

We are not and never will be promised tomorrow, but we have today to make a difference.

Peace and love my friends,

Terri

terri@hopeandfriendshipfoundation.com

Terri O’Neill-Borders

Email- terri@hopeandfriendshipfoundation.com

Website- www.hopeandfriendshipfoundation.com

Wordpress- http://hopeandfriendshipfoundation.wordpress.com/

Hope and Friendship Foundation
721 Hickory St, Lemont, IL 60439
630-816-4972

“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who
are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the
poor and needy.”
Proverbs 31: 8-9