Jill's Journal: Tomorrow's not promised

Tragedy has struck the Brandon Valley community once again, and this time, it’s claimed the life of a local teen, Hannah Green Havermann.

I didn’t know Hannah. In fact, the first I had learned of her was Monday morning as I was getting my early-morning supply of coffee at one of our local convenience stores. As I proceeded through my day, Hannah’s name came up – often – and by nightfall, I had learned of a post her father, Joseph, had placed on youcaring.com, a website similar to GoFundMe.com. I imagine it was a post that he’d never dreamt he’d be sharing about his daughter, at least not at her tender age. Moms and dads should be posting happy thoughts about their kids or about the silly things that kids do.

As I said, I didn’t know Hannah. But again, as I went through my day, her name and unexpected death came up – often - and everything I learned about the girl I didn’t know, painted her in a positive light.

“She was the sweetest girl,” one of her teachers shared with me. “And she was looking forward to so much.”

But a cyst discovered Saturday on Hannah’s brain changed her family’s world in a mere two days.

Her parents, reeling from the unexpected tragedy, now had to summon the courage to make plans for their daughter’s funeral. And then, of course, unexpected medical bills would soon follow. As difficult as one would expect it to be, Hannah’s father, Joseph, put out a request for donations on youcaring.com, asking for donations to help cover his daughter’s medical and funeral costs. 

I’m confident that the request wasn’t among his immediate plans either.

But that’s what unplanned emergencies sometimes do. And that’s when communities like Brandon and Valley Springs step up to help in times such as these. 

Here’s what Joseph Havermann had to say:

“On August 26^th, my daughter Hannah Havermann had just finished up her second day of being a freshman in high school. She’d been so excited all year about this moment. That night she had plans to sign up for her bowling league team’s third year. The previous two years she had been a trophy winner (at the) Big Sioux Tournament. Her goal in life was (that) she wanted to be a professional bowler, and besides all the other great things that she did, like love babies and holding them, giving people hugs even when you didn’t think you needed one, she was so big at heart, it was a miracle it fit inside of her. 

“Saturday morning, Aug. 27, 2017, she had had a continuous headache from the night before but she said she was fine. I went to get my daughter at 10 a.m. Next thing I know I’m at the ER at McKennan, Sioux Falls, South Dakota. As I’m sitting in there waiting to find out what’s wrong with my daughter, the worst thing you ever dread as a parent, you find out that your daughter has a cyst in her brain and that it’s swelled so bad it had fluid on top. They had to drill to let the fluid out.

“After they (did) done that, on Saturday evening the brain was swelling so bad that it wasn’t getting oxygen to it. Sunday afternoon, Aug. 28, 2017, my wife, Trudie and I are preparing to say our last good-byes to our one and only, Hannah. The hospital has done extensive treatment on our daughter, as we all know nobody prepares for stuff like this. 

“Hannah is with God now and we will miss her very much. Your donations for this tragic accident and sudden death would be very much appreciated. God bless everybody and remember when you get home tonight, hug your kids, tell them you love them.

Respectively, Joseph and Trudie Havermann”

I didn’t know Hannah Havermann. And it’s likely that many of you didn’t know her either. But she was one of us, and now, her family needs our help, Brandon Valley. Whatever donation you are able to give won’t take away the Havermann’s pain, but it will surely lessen their burden as their hearts heal.