Bailey Gasvoda, President of Big Sandy High School student council, sat down with me during her busy schedule to inform me of an important program is being brought to the high school this month. On Monday, February 24. 7-12 at 1:00 all students at the high school, 7th through 12th, will be listening to a program, #BuckleUpBlue4Lauryn, from Pat Goldhahn. A community presentation will be given at 6:00 that evening.

His daughter was one year older in school, then Bailey, and she said many of the students here remember her. When pat Goldhahn’s daughter, Lauryn, was 15, she was in an accident where her car rolled, and she was ejected from the vehicle. She died two days later.

Bailey remembers precisely where she was when she learned Lauryn passed away. Everyone still remembers. She thinks Pat has an excellent platform. He comes and shares Lauryn’s story. Pat talks about wearing seatbelts and organ donations. He shares how they got through the tragic loose of their daughter.

Lauryn was declared brain dead on August 27, 2016, but the family made the difficult decision to keep her on life support a couple more days so they could donate her organs. Her eyes, heart, kidneys, liver, bones, and soft tissue live on in half-a-dozen recipients.

He’s been talking to high school starting just six months after her death. Blue ribbons have been given out to with #BuckleUpBlue4Lauryn printed on them. They are used to tie around the steering wheel. Bailey still has her’s tied around her steering wheel. Thousands of ribbons have been given out. They are in almost every state in the United States.

Lauryn’s sister, Allix, plays for the MSU Northern Skylights. They did live in Chester before they moved to Fairfield. So Pat Goldhahn knows and understands our way of life and our values. His message is an important one.