Family's Tragedy Brings Awareness to Fundraiser
By: Alana Listoe, Youth and Education Reporter, Helena Independent Record
Submitted by: anet Erickson, Physical Education Teacher, Helena Middle School, Helena, MT

Patrick Kelly was a healthy, active teenager with a great sense of humor. He played basketball and golf. He loved to wakeboard and snowboard. His family describes him as having “a rare ability to draw others to him, to make them feel comfortable in his presence.” Patrick would have been a freshman at Capital High School, but an undiagnosed congenital heart condition took his life on July 8, 2006.

Janet Erickson, physical education teacher at Helena Middle School, heard the news and immediately thought to herself, what can I do? Erickson spearheads the annual Jump Rope For Heart and Hoops For Heart events, and dedicated the effort this year to Patrick.

Erickson contacted the Kelly’s and suggested her plan to hold the event in Patrick’s honor. The family agreed. “In light of tragedy – if anything good can come of it, we are all for it,” Tim Kelly said. This year students raised approximately $10,000 according to Erickson.

“When we held our event at Helena Middle School many of the students did not know Patrick, but were all so concerned and compassionate about wanting to help,” she said. Bailey Murphy, a sixth grader, was one of the youngsters touched by the story. Murphy, with the help of his father and grandfather, designed and crafted a plaque dedicated to Patrick which he presented to the Kelly family at Helena Middle School.

In addition to this year’s fundraising effort, a new $500 annual scholarship has been created in Patrick’s honor by Payne Financial Group Inc., where Sarah Kelly works. The scholarship will be given to a Montana school participating in Jump Rope For Heart or Hoops For Heart by drawing the name from a hat. The scholarship money will be used for the chosen school to purchase new equipment for health and/or physical education programs. The award is called the Patrick Kelly Spirit in Action Award. In addition, a video is being developed at Capital High School that will be used statewide as an education tool on heart disease with Patrick as the star, featuring a song he wrote just before he died.

On the day he died, Patrick participated in a pole-vaulting exhibition and then left for a day of boating and wakeboarding with friends. Tim and Sarah were told Patrick felt dizzy and soon became unconscious. The family friends administered CPR until emergency personnel responded, who continued CPR, but Patrick could not be revived. Doctors stated that Patrick’s aorta gave way and it was likely that he died instantly. There were no signs that Patrick had a heart problem. “There was no reason for us to suspect,” Tim said.

Helena Middle School has participated in fundraising efforts for AHA for nearly 30 years and raised more than $67,600 in the past seven years. The funds are used for research, public health education, professional education, community service, fundraising and management.

Erickson would like to extend an invitation to any school or class to get on board and help Helena Middle School honor Patrick Kelly’s life.