I have a friend I want everyone to know. Her name is Kelli Mays. The reason I want everyone to know about her is because I believe she is the most remarkable woman I have ever met that has had the worst luck.
Kelli has been through so much through her life and especially this last year.
I really don't know where to begin so I will start from the beginning. Kelli was born January 11th, 1959. Kelli got married, had one child, later divorced, and then raised her child on her own. Kelli's dream was to become a teacher and around 1985 she became a teacher. I have to stop here and mention just what kind of teacher Miss Mays is. In 1996 she received the Teacher Award through District 93. She was one of the starting teachers of Fairview Alternative High School. In addition she also has been recognized in Who’s Who of American Teachers -1988, 1989, 1992, 1994, and 1996. After years of teaching Kelli developed medical problems that ended up keeping her a home most of the time. Following years of recovery; Kelli decided late in her 40's, that she was ready to go back to the fulfilling her passion once again.
Kelli recertified to become a teacher once again. Kelli began substituting until she could find a position available to her. Then her world crashed. Kelli ended up in the hospital once again for Medical problems, after having emergency surgery for a hernia, Kelli went home to mend, and not long after being home she was back in the hospital for another surgery for infection. Kelli had to carry around a wound vac for months. Kelli was no longer able to teach.
During the summer while Kelli was healing, she had finally paid off her 1993 FORD Contour car. She was so excited, no more payments. I believe it was the day after that she pulled up to a stop sign and someone ran into the back of her and totaled her car.
Well the bad luck continued. After getting very little money from the insurance company, we went out looking for a used car for her. Kelli was test driving another Ford Contour, and I was test driving another car, we were both to meet up at the mechanic to have the cars inspected and she never made it there. As Kelli crossed 17 Street on Ammon Rd, Kelli's heart stopped. Her car veered across both lanes of traffic, broke through 2-3 fences, taking out a Swing Set and coming a foot from a telephone pole. Kelli ending up hundreds of feet across a parking lot passed out. Kelli woke up, yes I said woke up, she came back to life. She literally died. Unfortunately we, the police and the EMT’s did not know Kelli had passed out because her heart stopped and sent her on her way. I felt she should go to see a Doctor so I took her to Redicare. After a few questions and examined her, then the doctor noticed something was wrong with Kelli’s pupils and insisted she go straight to the ER.
I brought Kelli to the ER, meeting her mother there and she was admitted in about 30 minutes or so. The doctors stitched her face up, (she had a laceration under her eye). They then decided to do a CT scan, and while she was in the room to do the scan, she coded. She died again, and they literally brought her back to life. A social worker came into the ER room that her mother and I were waiting in and told us the news. He gave us cautious hope, told us to pray and contact family. I broke right there.
This woman did not deserve this. This was not her time. She was supposed to be 50 and fabulous by January 11th. Kelli had decided about 2 years ago she was going to make some major life changes. She was going to quit smoking, start eating right and exercising. Kelli was walking over 2 miles a day. Why was this all happening to her now? I just couldn’t fathom it. I them broke down again because this woman has meant so much to me. We had met around 2002, not to long after my mother in law died. Kelli and I became quick friends. Kelli has always been there to be a friend, a confidant and a mother figure when I need advice or a kick in the butt. She has stuck with me through many hard times and at that point I really felt alone. She couldn’t die; it just wasn’t going to happy. I bowed my head and prayed.
The social worker came back and told us the doctors were able to bring her back. Family started coming into the ER and we all took turns telling her to fight, and fight hard. I told her “you can do this, just fight until we find out what’s wrong and how to fix it. Just fight”. I whispered in her ear “you have walked on hot coals; you can stay alive until we fix you”. (Kelli really has walked on hot coals).
The doctors ran tests and figured out that she didn’t have a heart attack, that there was nothing wrong with her head, and continued to run tests. Later they found out that this has happened to Kelli a few times and during a test, a machine recording Kelli’s heart, her heart stopped again. They Diagnosed Kelli. Her heart has a problem with stopping and then starting again. I believe the diagnosis is Abnormal Heart Rhythm (Arrhythmia) - Ventricular fibrillation. They then put an Automated Internal Defibrillator in her. So technically she can never die now.
Kelli has recuperated well and is back to substituting. She would love to teach full time, but cannot drive for another month (license was taken away until January). In addition she has no vehicle. Kelli will have to wait until her taxes come in and then only have enough to buy her an old car. Gosh I just think the world is so unfair some days. All this woman has been through, finally paying her car off and owning it out right and down to owe medical bills with no end, and carless.
I wish there was a way I could let her know how much she means to me and help find her a vehicle that she could afford that was decent; that would stay running for years to come. So she could finally go back to what she loves doing full time. There are special people out there meant to teach, people with patients, people that are able to listen to a student, understand how they need to learn and teach them. This is Kelli. Kelli enjoys teaching kids that are in the alternative schools the most.
Please help me let Kelli know how special she is.
Thank you;
Jennifer Knutson.