A Legacy That Lives on with Kelly and Nate of the Rachel Lynn Henley Foundation
If you could leave a legacy for future generations, what would it look like?
At the beginning of this year, we had the privilege of building a project with the Rachel Lynn Henley Foundation for a very deserving young lady. Following the completion of the project, Nate Henley and Kelly Lauricella, of the Rachel Lynn Henley Foundation, joined us on our Merit Matters podcast. Together, they shared the heartwarming story about the tremendous legacy their sister and cousin left for their family; a legacy that not only lives on through them, but one that is making a difference in the lives of many throughout our local communities.
MORE ABOUT NATE & KELLY:
Nathan Henley and Kelly Lauricella are both very close to the foundation. Nate is Rachel's older brother. He grew up with her in Tacoma, attending all of the same schools and even shared some classes with her in high school. He now serves as the Vice President of the Rachel Lynn Henley Foundation while working full-time as the manager at the Lakewood Casa Mia Italian Restaurant. Kelly Lauricella is Rachel's cousin. She grew up in Tacoma and now resides in Lakewood with her husband and five pets! She started off her career in the engineering world, but realized that her passion was with helping others. She now volunteers full-time as a Director and Secretary of the Rachel Lynn Henley Foundation and gets to help bring smiles to amazing kids and young adults each day.
ABOUT THE FOUNDATION:
The Rachel Lynn Henley Foundation was founded in 2015. Rachel Lynn Henley was diagnosed with synovial sarcoma in 2007 when she was 14 years old and she fought fiercely and gracefully for 7-1/2 years before her battle ended peacefully on June 2, 2015. During her fight Rachel developed a passion for helping others, particularly kids and young adults dealing with a cancer diagnosis. One of her dreams was to create a foundation to provide support to various cancer research organizations focusing on pediatrics and sarcomas, as well as organizations that support the daily lives of those living with cancer. In an attempt to carry out her wishes in the best way possible, Rachel's family created the Rachel Lynn Henley Foundation. The foundation provides an opportunity to contribute toward a cure and provide support to those who are affected by cancer. It brings great joy to Rachel's family knowing they are doing something that she not only wanted to see come to fruition, but that she was deeply passionate about.