Taylor Lech Foundation

It's Taylor Tuesday with Keely! I became friends with Keely's mom through work and our kids always enjoyed hanging out and had the best times together. Whether it was going to the pool, playing in the basement, or doing the Glow Run, these kids always found LOTS to laugh about! I'm grateful that Keely and her siblings were part of Taylor's life. 💛💙

"Taylor to me was like the big sister I never had. I feel blessed enough to have been able to grow up with her. To concocting our dream house on whiteboard in her basement, going to a Taylor Swift concert, and sharing practice schedules at Elite, we made countless memories that I truly will never forget. Taylor had the best and most contagious laugh of anyone I’ve ever met. We would play dress up and make up the goofiest outfits and end up not being able to contain ourselves from laughter. She was always the most joyful person to be around, guided by her faith. Whenever I think about Taylor, I say she was my gift from God. That proved to be true as we got older. Since she was a year ahead of me, she would experience things first, and then would give me advice about it. She taught me how to get through my first year of high school. She was an inspiration to many, but she made a lasting impact on me because of her contagious laugh, love for life, and life of faith."

Taylor Tuesday with Laurie! Taylor loved nothing more than to participate in my conversations, especially when she was trying to talk me into something. Laurie & I worked closely together on staff development things & often met in the summer at the pool so the kids could hang out together. Then when Taylor was diagnosed, I was fortunate to have her step in to help with things at work, as well as anything we needed at home, especially with Brooklyn. To this day I still cannot order ice cream without thinking of Taylor's reaction when Laurie would send money for ice cream, especially at Flapdoodles Ice Cream ! 💛💙

"I met Taylor's mom during my initial year of teaching in Elkhorn. My daughter played basketball & volleyball alongside Brooklyn, so we frequently saw Taylor at games. During the summers, while Janet & I were busy working on reading things, the girls would join us & spend time together. One of Taylor's favorite activities was asking her mom for snacks, particularly when we were at the pool; her absolute favorite was ice cream!

When Taylor was at Mayo & Madonna, she would often try to persuade Janet while we were on the phone to go get her ice cream. She kept asking over & over again until Janet gave in! I would send money from time to time so Taylor had some leverage. Taylor loved to talk to her mom while she was on the phone & interject her thoughts into the conversation. I loved hearing her thoughts & demands. She was relentless in her requests!

With her infectious laugh & determination, Taylor always knew how to get what she wanted. I feel truly fortunate to know the L**h family, especially Taylor, who we all miss dearly but know that she is enjoying lots of ice cream in heaven."

It's Taylor Tuesday with Brooklyn! The start of a school year always brings up lots of great memories because the girls love school. This school year specifically is extra emotional because Brooklyn is moving to college. As exciting as this is, it is not easy to do without Taylor & her guidance. I have no doubt she would have lots of advice : ). So many of Taylor's positive attributes continue to live on through Brooklyn. I have no doubt she will do great things & continue to make Taylor proud by living her life as Taylor did, being guided by her kind heart. 💛💙

"Happy Taylor Tuesday! I’m so lucky that I get to share memories about my sister today, especially since it is the week I leave for college. Our parents used to love taking me and Taylor to Creighton basketball games when we were younger. Our favorite were the breast cancer awareness games because everyone wore pink and it was super fun to watch and be a part of. I remember my dad & I would always dance & clap our hands to the the music at the games just to embarrass Taylor and make her mad. She would glare at me and say “Brooklyn stooooop”. I will forever cherish the times I got to go to these games with Taylor, and I will think of her every time I go watch Creighton basketball. Although Taylor did not get the opportunity to go to college, she always talked about her future plans to be a physical therapist. She had to go to physical therapy after losing the movement in her legs from the cancer and was determined to help people that were struggling just like her. In the same way, Taylor’s journey inspired me to want to study occupational therapy in college. I want to be an OT in the future & work with pediatric cancer patients to help them during a hard time in their lives. The fight against cancer is not easy in any way, and I would love to be there for kids going through it to hopefully bring some light into their lives during a dark time. Taylor demonstrated great strength, determination & positivity throughout her time with me, and I plan to mirror these qualities as I move on to the next big chapter in my life.💙🤍"

Taylor Tuesday with Sonny! Taylor's love for animals, dogs specifically, was obvious to anyone who knew her. She was persistent about getting a dog and had everyone on the lookout to find one that she could talk me into : ) Sonny was everything the girls wanted and Taylor could not get enough of him. In return, he was obsessed with Taylor and always by her side. She taught him all of his tricks, danced with him, played with him for hours on end, had him sleep in her bed so she could pet him until she fell asleep, and loved him beyond measure. Sonny could not have been a better companion for Taylor when she was having so much pain and we did not know what was wrong, and then through all of treatment. Brooklyn was the best about facetiming when we were inpatient at Mayo and Madonna so she could see him. The day he was able to come to Madonna to visit her is one we will never forget as it was evident how much they meant to each other.

If Sonny could talk, I think he would say that Taylor was the best human he could have asked for and that life is not the same without her. He would tell you that she was the only one he would listen to when he wanted to play fetch. Everyone else he just tries to play tug with...and he knows we all hate playing that! He would tell you that she spoiled him and knew all of the best toys, especially that he loves toys that make obnoxious noises. He also has an extensive wardrobe that Taylor started. He loved to get dressed and hear the sound of Taylor and Brooklyn laughing and cheering for him in his outfits. Sonny would tell you about how much he loved having her home and being so close to her when she was resting because then he got to snuggle with her and get extra love. Lastly, Sonny would say that the day she went to Heaven was the saddest day he's ever had and that he was so glad he was with her 💛💙

Taylor Tuesday with Elise, one of Taylor's club volleyball friends and teammates. I can't say enough about this group that Taylor was fortunate to have a teammates her last year of club volleyball. These girls were so supportive of each other and it was obvious they enjoyed spending time together. I was fortunate to watch these girls build each other up on the court and laugh and be silly in their time off the court. I also was lucky enough to get to know how they were all so great as I thoroughly enjoyed this group of parents. 💛💙

"I met Taylor through club volleyball at Elite. I am so fortunate to have had the opportunity to play on the same team as her when we were 15. Taylor brought such a positive energy to the team and made going to practice 10x better. Taylor had the absolute best laugh and never failed to make those around her smile. I remember always laughing so hard during practice, tournaments, and team bonding. One time, we were traveling for an out of town volleyball tournament and Taylor and I went out shopping together. We had the best time sarcastically picking out the ugliest clothes we could find! Taylor truly made the most out of every moment!"

Taylor Tuesday with Michelle, Riley's mom! Taylor and Riley were quite the pair with their laughs and silliness and I loved when they were together as much as Michelle did. I was fortunate to get to know Michelle because of how much the girls enjoyed each other and I appreciate the life lessons Taylor learned though this family and their foundation. Taylor made it a priority to not just spent time with Riley, but to also spend time making a difference for others. I am grateful she had this family in her life with these experiences and was able to share her huge heart in such a special way. 💛💙

"As a parent, you always pray for your children to have true, authentic friendships. Our daughter, Riley, growing up kept her 'friend circle' small. Within that circle, Taylor, AKA Tay Tay, was always there for Riley and Riley was always there for Taylor. Birthed out of their friendship, Taylor wanted to get involved in the community and give back generously with her time. I personally got to witness Taylor volunteer for the non-profit we founded, Chariots4Hope. She was always willing to serve our C4H family, help with events, help fundraise or even detail a car. Her laugh was absolutely one of a kind, her heart to help others/volunteer was so appreciated and to say, 'I miss you sooooo very much kid' is an understatement. Taylor is forever etched within The Hurt Family's Heart. 💙 Love ya T!"

Taylor Tuesday with Kylah! Taylor loved volleyball and met so many great friends through this sport. In addition to being teammates, Kylah was also a friend she met in middle school. I remember many great stories from middle school and high school volleyball that involved Kylah and I loved watching the girls support each other, as well as share lots of laughs together. 💛💙

"Taylor and I met in middle school. I remember us being on the same volleyball team in 8th grade, and immediately, I knew she was someone I wanted to be friends with. She was so good at making others comfortable around her, and we all gravitated towards her because of her amazing energy. She was the best at shaking off mistakes with a quick laugh, knowing that she would get the next ball. Going into high school, we were both on reserve, and even though we didn't have classes together, volleyball found a way to bring us together again. I remember going to volleyball camps and during off games, we were always laughing in a corner somewhere from something funny Taylor said. Her heart was so full of love, joy, and laughter. Taylor was the best human in the world. She could fill the room with her smile and her contagious laugh."

Taylor Tuesday with her mom. I had planned to share a general memory of Taylor's love of the 4th of July festivities, but as I was thinking about it, I realized that memories are different now that she's gone. Before I would just say, "Remember that one time....?" and we would laugh or comment and move on. Now I find myself around people and trying to be "normal" while also looking for glimmers of life with Taylor here.

Her last 4th of July, we had just been admitted to Madonna inpatient in Lincoln for the second time. That's a hard memory because we had to leave home again and separate our family after finding out the cancer had spread to her brain. So, I try to focus on good memories as soon as that one creeps in because it's devastating. Sometimes it's hard to grab a memory and I just try to go back over every memory I can think of and try to hear her laugh and see her running and having fun. Other times, like on the 4th, memories come back easier because I saw two adorable little girls. The older sister had brown hair and the younger sister had blond hair. They were as cute as could be and were just precious in their matching swimsuits. When I watched them and talked to them, I instantly saw Taylor and Brooklyn when they were little - Taylor watching over Brooklyn, talking for her when she was shy, running down the beach to build a sand castle, being sure to share the glow in the dark necklaces, hearing "Come on Brookie", riding scooters, drawing
sidewalk chalk, and making everyone around her smile. That girl loved life and you couldn't help but smile watching her excitement on the 4th of July. 💛💙

Taylor Tuesday with Emily! Taylor first met Emily when she was playing Lady Cats basketball. Taylor always said how sweet she was and I am certain they connected over their kind hearts and then attended the same high school. Grateful for all of the fun kids she met through various sports and activities. 💛💙

"Taylor and I met through Lady Cats basketball where we were on the same team. I remember I was so nervous to be with all these new girls I'd never met before. Taylor was so goofy and lighthearted that from the first day of practice, I knew it was all going to turn out ok. We didn't go to the same middle school, but I knew we would go to the same high school and that was so reassuring to know I already had a friend I knew I could talk to once freshman year started. Taylor is so friendly to everyone that after having one conversation with her, you already felt like you were best friends. Taylor was one of the most outgoing people I had ever met and it was so fun playing basketball and being around someone whose laughter and silliness was so contagious!"

It's Taylor Tuesday with Jace's mom, and my friend, Bobbi! From the second we brought Brooklyn home from the hospital, Taylor's was obsessed with babies, even at the age of 2. She has always adored babies and kids and was a natural - the absolute best caregiver. Bobbi is one of the first people that asked Taylor to babysit and she was thrilled! She was always coming up with things to do and never tired of playing with them. I loved when Taylor would get home from babysitting and tell me all about what they did. 💛💙

"Many words come to mind when I think of Taylor. She was so spunky, calm, sweet, smart, and had the most infectious laugh! I loved getting random pictures, videos, and snapchats from her while she was babysitting my son, Jace. They both had a riot together and you could see and hear pure joy from both of them. Jace still talks about Taylor and says he often misses her and he knows that she is being taken care of by Jesus. We feel so blessed to have gotten to know Taylor and loved inviting her to babysit - she did such a great job and we knew our kids were always well taken care of and having so much fun!"

Today we are sending sincere thanks for more of our sponsors! Without generous sponsors, we could not have such an awesome fundraiser and make a difference in the world of pediatric cancer. Special thanks today goes out to: , TEKsystems, , Scott & Steph Haag, Joyce Jarding, Monte & Molly Peterson, Chuck & Kathy Burney, Pam Owens, Julie Lentz. 💛💙

Our generous sponsors for the pediatric cancer fundraiser in Taylor's memory make everything possible and we are grateful! Today we are giving a big thanks to: , , , , Inspectix Home Inspection, and 💛💙

Another day, another shout out to some more of our generous sponsors for the Taylor L**h Foundation Volleyball and Co****le Tournament to raise awareness and money for childhood cancer! Today we would like to show our appreciation to the following: , Omaha Casing Company, Family Dentistry of Bellevue, , 💛💙

We would like to thank all of our generous sponsors for the 3rd Annual Taylor L**h Foundation Memorial Tournament. Over the next few days we will be showing our gratitude by highlighting them. Today we start with the following: , , and Custom Electric, Inc. We are grateful for your support in our mission to raise awareness and money for pediatric cancer research and families 💛💙

It's Taylor Tuesday with Hudson! Taylor, Brooklyn, Braeley and Hudson got to hang out and get to know each other first because their mom is a dear friend of mine and we would get together with them. Then, when Taylor started to baby-sit, Hudson and Braeley were two of her favorites. Although Hudson was pretty young when they first met, they had many good times together and Taylor loved telling me a good Hudson story : ) 💛💙

"I wasn't very old the first time Taylor and I met. She was several years older than me, but she always made me feel like we were friends. As I started to grow, I learned she was one of my favorite people. My mom would tell me Taylor was coming over to our house and I couldn't wait! She would play with me from the time she arrived to the minute she left.

One afternoon, my mom dropped me off at Taylor's house so she could babysit me. I remember she took me around the house so I could check out all of their toys and games. They had a cabinet of board games and she let me pick which one we were going to play. We started playing and I was cheating so I could win. I figured she would just let me win because she was always so kind. Immediately, she called me out on my cheating and made me follow the rules. I continued to cheat and she would make me move my game piece to the right spot every time. But I kept doing it because it made her laugh and I liked it when she laughed.

There was another time Taylor came to my house to babysit. We were in the backyard jumping on the trampoline. She would try to do flips and silly jumps. My neighbors noticed and came to join. Taylor told them they could jump with us. She didn't even know my neighbors but she was nice to them right away. That was the thing about Taylor, it didn't matter who you were, she would make you feel special. Pretty soon, my neighbors were asking if she could be their babysitter too.

I was fortunate to have Taylor be a part of my childhood. She showed me what it looks like to show kindness to others. She showed me how laughter or a smile can brighten anyone's day. I will forever be grateful for the memories I have with her!"

Congratulations to the winners of the 3rd Annual Taylor L**h Foundation Sand Volleyball Tournament - Gojo Clan!! So glad you were able to join us for such a fun day!

Also, congratulations to the co****le tournament winners, JJ & Joe! Although we didn't get a picture of the winners, so glad we have this fun addition to the day 💛💙

Advocates, parents continue push for pediatric brain cancer research at CWS Every year at the College World Series, Omaha Baseball Village hosts Flying Flags for Charity, by which it honors the eight nonprofits it works with.

Taylor Tuesday with Chris! 💛💙

"I first met Taylor when she was in elementary school & we moved to the neighborhood. Taylor was not afraid to speak & took to our daughter, Ciara, quickly. What a wonderful influence & caretaker at an early age. I knew she was destined to impact the world for good.

I had the privilege to watch the girls in the mornings before they went to school. Sometimes we would make cinnamon rolls & chat about anything that crossed her mind. She would talk about school & things that would annoy her; many of them rightfully so. Taylor was well beyond her years in processing & thinking through obstacles. She was concerned about the well-being of others & wouldn't hesitate to learn from any situation while advising the best way to address it.

Taylor was one of a kind & we're extremely blessed to have known the many facets of her. I got the know the loving Taylor when it came to how protective she was of Brooklyn, Macie, Meridith, & Ciara. I got to know the funny Taylor when she orchestrated the "welcome home" dance, lol! I got to know the grateful Taylor when it came to celebrating birthdays. I got to know the defeated/unrealistic Taylor when she would be unhappy with her parents being parents. Once she would cool off, she understood the "why."

Most importantly, I got to know the HAPPY Taylor. This is the Taylor I experienced the most. Whether it was taking the girls to the park, basketball in the driveway, hanging with Sonny, playing volleyball in the yard, hanging at the campsite, or sidewalk chalk; Taylor was always shining. We love & miss her often.

In true Taylor fashion, I believe she was prepping Brooklyn for a world of challenges & possibilities. The challenges- teaching her that life may not always be fair, but you were born with a heart & a mind to fight back for fairness. As for the possibilities- all the goals you set & focus on, you WILL accomplish & she WILL be there to cheer you on.

Hug those close to you. Parents, hug your kids MORE. Pour into them when you get the chance. Our time on this planet can be so short, but hearing & sharing great memories are what helps all those saddened & left behind. We love you tons, Taylor!"

Silent auction ends at 3:00! Get your bids in!! Here is the Taylors Favorite Things basket 💛💙. https://www.32auctions.com/TaylorL**h2024

Today is the 3rd Annual Taylor L**h Foundation Pediatric Cancer Fundraiser! Join us to watch some sand volleyball, play in the co****le tournament, bid on something at the silent auction, enjoy lunch with some amazing food trucks, sing along with the DJ, spend some time with family and friends, and most importantly, embrace life to remember Taylor. Hope to see you at 💛💙

The silent auction is live! Bidding ends Saturday, June 8th, at 3:00PM

Taylor L**h 3rd Annual Sand Volleyball Tournament Silent auction 'Taylor L**h 3rd Annual Sand Volleyball Tournament' hosted online at 32auctions.

We are two days away from the 3rd Annual Taylor L**h Foundation pediatric cancer fundraiser! The volleyball bracket is ready to go, but we also have a co****le tournament! Registration is from 8:00AM - 8:45AM with the tournament starting at 9:00. Taylor Tickets are available now (message me if you are interested) and the day of the event - $10 per ticket. Hope to see you there 💛💙

Pediatric cancer research receives less than 4% of funding. How that can possibly make sense to anyone that does the budget is incomprehensible. People say childhood cancer is rare, but I know far too many families to agree with that. It is not rare. This is why the other part of The Taylor L**h Foundation's vision is to raise awareness and money for research. The majority of funding for research is donated by families doing things like we are with fundraisers to try to make a difference. We also wanted to give back to Ronald McDonald House in Rochester our first year for being so wonderful to us when we were at Mayo for an extended time. Taylor loved that place and the people there were some of the kindest along the way.

Join us this Saturday, June 8th, at the Water's Edge to help raise money for pediatric cancer research in Taylor's memory. 💛💙

Taylor Tuesday with Maddie! Taylor made some great friends through LadyCats basketball and also because school boundaries were redrawn and she went to a different middle school than we had thought she would go to. Maddie was one of those friends and the friend that Taylor LOVED to play Fortnite with. I can still hear her in the basement with her headset on : ) 💛💙

"Taylor is one of the kindest people I have ever met. She wore her heart on her sleeve and made every day count. I met Taylor in middle school where we would wait in the gym for school to start. She always had SO much energy at 7 in the morning. She would never fail to make me laugh, even when I didn't want to. Taylor and I would sometimes scrimmage each other in basketball through the LadyCats. It was always so fun guarding each other and crossing each other up. Taylor and I enjoyed playing Fortnite together. We were both pretty competitive through, so most times the game would end in us screaming at each other and then laughing until we almost peed our pants. Taylor is one of a kind and such a light in everyone's life. Taylor allowed me to see the beauty in life and never take anything for granted. It was an honor to be friends with her and her legacy will always live on."

Part of the Taylor L**h Foundation's mission is to support local families who have a child going through treatment. Helping families is an integral part of what we do because we were so fortunate to have people help us when Taylor was going through treatment. She was always in awe that so many people cared and was immensely grateful. Come out this Saturday to help raise money to make a difference for families who have a child going through treatment!

TAYLOR L**H FOUNDATION 3RD ANNUAL SAND VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT - JUNE 8TH - Water's Edge