'Angel' Who Died Honored At Fundraiser For 2 Families In Need

NORTH FORK, NY — After Kaitlyn Doorhy died at just 20 years old while away at college in 2014, those who loved her have worked tirelessly to keep her memory alive by giving back to families in need on the North Fork.

Kait's Angels is a not-for-profit organization that performs acts of kindness in memory of Kaitlyn, a former Mattituck Lions Club Strawberry Queen whose list of academic and philanthropic accomplishments was long —and who always made time to reach out to others.

Ever year, at a Kait's Angels Community Yard Sale held at the Doorhy home, located at 1125 Old Jule Lane in Mattituck, two members of the community facing challenges are chosen to be the recipients of the proceeds from the event, said Darla Doorhy, Kaitlyn's mother.

This year, the yard sale takes place on Saturday, August 1, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Donations are needed and can be dropped off on Friday, July 31, at the Doorhy home from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. No medical equipment, TVs, exercise equipment, large furniture, lawn mower or computers can be accepted.

Masks and social distancing will be required at the sale.

Chosen this year as recipients are Maren DeSantis, 9, a little girl from Mattituck with Rett syndrome. Caused by a gene mutation, individuals with Rett syndrome can lose coordination, speech, and use of their hands.

The second recipient this year is Loretta Lawlor, 32, of Southold; she was diagnosed at six months old with bilateral retinoblastoma, a form of eye cancer, and has endured years of radiation and surgeries. At two-and-a-half years old, she had a tumor in her right eye removed, Doorhy said.

Today, she is disabled and legally blind. And, in recent months, both Loretta and her mother Susan were diagnosed with the coronavirus, Doorhy said.

"My heart bleeds for this young lady," Doorhy said.

Smiling in the face of challenges

Speaking about her daughter, Lena DeSantis said Maren has been "impacted quite significantly" by Rett Syndrome.

"She can't walk, talk or functionally use her hands," she said. Rett syndrome, she said, affects mainly girls; one "hallmark" of those with Rett syndrome is that they wring their hands constantly, she said.

Her daughter is not verbal and, while she can understand a great deal, is unable to communicate with others or run and walk like other children, DeSantis said. "She's trapped," she said.

And yet, she said, Maren has taught their entire family, including DeSantis' husband Paul and her twin brother, Ben, about the importance of appreciating the little things.

"It's very easy to get bogged down in what you can't do," DeSantis said. "She's really taught us to stop and realize what we have, what we take for granted, something as simple as weeding a garden."

Her daughter, despite her challenges, is able to enjoy life, she said. "She always has a smile on her face," she said. "She's my hero."

The community is comprised of "amazing people" that devote their lives to helping individuals with disabilities, she added. Maren, she said, has been able to ride a horse due to the programs that exist. "There are a lot of givers out there," DeSantis said.

DeSantis said although her daughter has a disability, during the time of coronavirus, many are in need. "We have food on the table," she said. "We are lucky. We have maintained our jobs and are not in desperate need."

And so, DeSantis said, her family has decided that any funds raised for her daughter at the yard sale will be donated to research for Rett syndrome; there is another person in Southold who also has Rett syndrome so the donation will be made in both their names, she said. There are new drug trials for Rett syndrome that hold promise, she added.

Maren, DeSantis said, has shown her family "that you can find happiness in the little things. She makes me smile all the time."

Even her twin brother has grown and learned "amazing" life lessons from his sister. "We still wish she didn't have this, don't get me wrong," DeSantis said. "But there have been a lot of blessings."