Girl Orphaned After Mother's Sudden Death: 'Just So Heartbreaking'

WESTHAMPTON BEACH, NY — The Westhampton Beach community was rocked by an unthinkable loss recently that left a little girl, 10, an orphan.

A GoFundMe, "Help Keely With Her Immediate Needs and Future," was created by Alice Eisenberg.

"On Tuesday, June 13, our community was shaken by the sudden loss of Lauren Jill (LJ) Delman Hanechak, who passed away unexpectedly from acute myeloid leukemia (AML) only four days after she had been diagnosed," Eisenberg wrote.

LJ's husband, Rob, died only three years ago in March 2020.

"Keely, their beloved 10-year-old daughter, is now suddenly left without her parents," she said. "LJ had named me, Alice, as Keely’s legal guardian if she were to die — and I will make sure that Keely is always cared for and knows how much she is loved."

Eisenberg said she is dedicated to ensuring that Keely is safe and cared for in her community on Long Island right now, where she is committed to finishing the school year and going to her summer camps as planned.

"We are all heartbroken for Keely and want to ensure that she has the support she needs during this difficult time," Eisenberg wrote. "LJ was a single mom without a safety net who worked hard to make ends meet."

The goal of the GoFundMe, she said, is to raise money to help Keely with her immediate needs, legal fees, and provide for her future financial stability. Funds will also be used to cover LJ’s memorial and celebration of life.

"We want to make sure that Keely has everything she needs as she adjusts to life without her parents," Eisenberg said.

In addition, the goal is to ensure that Keely's legal rights are protected and that she has access to the resources she needs. The funds raised will be used to cover legal fees associated with ensuring that Keely's best interests are protected, she said.

"Finally, we want to ensure that Keely has the financial stability she needs to thrive in the future. The funds raised will be put into a trust fund for Keely, which will be managed by a trusted financial advisor. This will help ensure that Keely has the resources she needs to pursue her dreams and build a secure future," Eisenberg said.

On Tuesday, Eisenberg posted again to thank the community for the outpouring of support. "The response to Keely's fundraiser has been overwhelming, and I am so grateful for your generosity," Eisenberg said.

Thanks to the donations, Eisenberg said she was able to retain a family law attorney to help with guardianship. Looking ahead, there will most likely be a need to retain other lawyers to help with the estate and other aspects, she said, "but this is a huge step and a big relief."

The fundraising goal for Keely has been raised, Eisenberg said, "as these funds are what she will be relying on in the future as well as covering her current needs and current legal fees. We believe that with your help, we can make a real difference in Keely's life and show her how much she is supported and loved."

Keely, she added, has really been enjoying hearing stories about her mom and looking at pictures of LJ.

"If you have any stories or pictures of LJ to share, please contact me," Eisenberg wrote. "I deeply appreciate your continued support and generosity."

Longtime friends in the community are mourning LJ.

"I first met LJ when she came into the Open Book with the children she was nannying that summer," said Terry Lucas, who owned the former bookstore on Main Street. A few years later she started working at the store, she added.

"She was a bright light, always happy, always trying to help. She was good at technology and social media before people even really knew what that was," Lucas said. "As a friend, she was warm and honest and very loving. Every post I read talks about her hugs. She made you feel loved."

When Keely was born she was so tiny and LJ just figured out what she needed and loved her through any problems, Lucas said. She loved being involved with the PTA at Keely's school, she said.

"Keely is a wonderful, sweet creative girl. Like her mom, she is super smart. Thank god for LJ's friend Alice, who is caring for Keely. She is a rock," Lucas said.

She added: "This is just so heartbreaking."

Rachel Lucas, Terry's daughter, told Patch she met LJ when she was a high school student and LJ worked at the bookstore.

"Her late husband Rob worked with my dad at Starr Boggs," she said. "He sadly passed, as well. She was an incredibly generous and supportive friend. A very good listener and never judgmental. She was also a really fun! We had lots of adventures. She was amazing with kids even before she became a mom. She was the best mom to K, always making sure she had everything she needed and more. Always making special memories for her, even the everyday things were special."

LJ, she said, was a familiar face around Westhampton Beach, working at the Post Stop Cafe and Magic's Pub. She also helped her husband as a home chef, she said. "She could do it all — very good at managing things."

Rachel, who recently had her first child, added: "She is one of the badass women who I learned to be a mom from. She also gave the best hugs, super tight with her big mass of curly hair always getting in your face — so you knew she cared about you."

To donate to the GoFundMe, click here.