My mom, Jackie, was truly the heart of our family and the kind of person people never forget. She grew up in a small town with strong faith and small-town values that stayed with her throughout her life. Every Sunday she was in church with our family, and every day she lived with kindness, compassion, and love for others. She was a devoted wife to my dad, Dan, and an incredible mother to my sister Karlee and me. She wore her emotions on her sleeve and felt everything deeply, but she never had a malicious bone in her body. She cared endlessly for the people around her, always putting others before herself and doing right by everyone she met. She taught by example, the kind of person we all strove to be.

As a first-grade teacher, my mom touched so many lives through her patience, warmth, and ability to make every child feel loved and important. Years later, students and coworkers still remembered her because of the impact she had on them both inside and outside the classroom. Even during her battle with pancreatic cancer, she showed unbelievable strength and grace. In her final days, surrounded by family and loved ones, she continued to show the same love and courage that defined her entire life. My mom passed away at just 43 years old, far too soon, but the way she loved people and the difference she made continues to live on every day. This outing is in honor of her memory and in support of pancreatic cancer research and awareness so that one day other families may be spared from this disease.