Everyday Heroes Patrick and Holly Wright know the pain of burying a child. Their 5-year-old girl, Payton, died from brain cancer in 2007. Holly said their foundation was born in her name.
“When she passed away. Patrick and I formed the Payton Wright Foundation to financially help families caring for a child with brain cancer,” Holly Wright said.
The Wrights decided to support other families in the same spot. The foundation helps families continue to pay bills in the face of tragedy.
The non-profit distributes about $100,000 a year that helps pay for rent, utilities, food and gasoline cards.
Holly does most of the administrative work, spending hours on the phone, sending out checks and helping about 500 families a year. It’s a lot of work, but it’s fulfilling.
“When you’re getting these letters from families of pure ‘I didn’t know what I was going to do’ and allowing them to focus on their child versus worrying about their bills, then you’re like, ‘It’s worth it,’” she said.