Hunt Stanely Helps Comfort Families

The Boss Lady and I were in Greenville, NC over the holiday visiting my father-in-law and monster-in-law. I opened the paper on Sunday and was surprised by the heart warming story I read. Just in case your wondering what makes this blog-worthy, Hunt Stanely was once a vice-president of the Greensboro Jaycees.

This excerpt is from The Daily Reflector:

"Stockings comfort families in neonatal unit

The Daily Reflector
Sunday, December 25, 2005

A Colorado family has once again offered comfort to families whose babies must spend Christmas at Pitt County Memorial Hospital.

Though Hunt Stanley prepared 50 Christmas stockings, he handed out more than 30 stockings filled with a hospital cafeteria gift card, calling card and chocolate to families with children in the neonatal intensive care unit. The stockings also contained a letter with the statement, "Babies are kisses sent from angels."

"If we can go down there (to the neonatal intensive care unit) and make someone feel better that makes it all worth it," Hunt Stanely said of the couple personally delivering the stockings. "It's the gesture of letting someone know your thinking of them."

Stanley and his wife Katie gave 35 stockings last year to mark the first birthday of their daughter, Marianna. The now 2-year-old spent her first 16 days of life in intensive care in 2003 after suffering an in-utero stroke.

The family said the dark days were lightened when a family who was in the unit before them left an angel in Marianna's bassinet. The couple said it reminded them they were not alone. They decided they would pass on the same support.

With the hospital opening an expanded neonatal unit this year, the couple raised enough money through donations from local businesses, family and friends to purchase the calling and gift cards plus make a donation of more than $1,000 to the Ronald McDonald House.

The Stanleys‘ said they give gift and calling cards because of the financial strain most families face when a baby is hospitalized in intensive care.

Also, children at PCMH often arrive from communities where parents have to travel three hours or more to reach Greenville and have to rely on the telephone to keep in contact with family.
The Stanleys devotion to the gift program, which they call Marianna's Christmas Wish, comes despite their move to Colorado Springs, Colo."


This excerpt came from the following link. To read the entire article go to:
http://www.reflector.com/hp/content/news/stories/2005/12/25/20051225GDRbabydonation.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=9