The Culvahouse family of Padre Island turned their grief into a mission of giving after losing their 15-year-old daughter Kaylee to Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP) in March 2024. This week would have marked Kaylee's 17th birthday, and to honor her memory, the family donated more than 1,200 toys to patients at Driscoll Children's Hospital.
"She radiates love and light. That's just part of Kaylee," Sherry Culvahouse said.
The family created the "Kaylee's Light" toy drive last year after their daughter's unexpected passing. The initiative aims to bring comfort to children facing medical challenges, something Kaylee experienced firsthand during her own hospital stays.
"Just having a toy, I mean, just made a world of a difference, I mean, she was so distracted, she can brave anything with a toy in hand," Sherry Culvahouse said.
On Tuesday, volunteers gathered to unload boxes filled with toys that will be distributed to Driscoll Children's Hospital patients on Wednesday. The donation comes at a meaningful time for the family, as July 23rd would have been Kaylee's birthday.
"Our hope is that every child that receives a toy can feel a little bit of Kaylee's love," Sherry Culvahouse said.
Hospital staff recognize the significant impact these donations have on young patients.
"It's always a really great surprise when our volunteers knock on their door and give them a toy to brighten their day. It helps to normalize their stay here and keep them distracted from what they're currently going through," Sarah Centeno, the Driscoll Children's Hospital Volunteer Manager, said.
The Culvahouse family is now working to establish a foundation to expand their daughter's legacy.
"We're in the process of creating Kaylee's Light foundation and so we're hoping that next year we can maybe get some sponsors. And that way we can actually spread Kaylee's love and light even further and donate more toys to even more children," Sherry Culvahouse said.
The family is already looking forward to organizing the third annual "Kaylee's Light" toy drive next July.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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