“Celebrate QUINNcidence”

Nine years ago, March 12 was one of the happiest days of their lives for Eagle Grove native Alison (Sadler) Ter Horst and her husband, Time Ter Horst.  They welcomed their first child, a daughter they named Quinn.  On July 21, 2012, they faced one of the darkest days of their lives when they lost Quinn to SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome).

 

“It really could just be called IDK (I Don’t Know) for infant death. There was no rhyme or reason and it all just felt so random and senseless,” Alison stated in one of her Celebrate QUINNcidence Facebook posts.

 

When March 12, 2013 rolled around – what would have been Quinn’s first birthday, Alison said she and her husband dreaded the day, but what scared them the most was that one day, no one would remember their daughter.  That’s when they decided to honor their daughter’s short life, each year on Quinn’s birthday they would do random acts of kindness for others…and they would call it “Celebrate QUINNcidence” day. They would use the money they would have spent celebrating their daughter, and instead bless others around them.

 

“That way every year someone’s life would be better because my daughter lived,” Alison said on her Facebook post.

 

Since then, year-after-year, others have joined them in doing random acts of kindness on March 12…many of them living right here in Eagle Grove.  Jen Conaway and her son, Jace, were two of them who participated this year by handing out cards to Eagle Grove Elementary staff members (where Jace attends school and Jen teaches first grade) and holding the door open for people as they arrived.

 

“We know Quinn’s parents, aunt, and grandparents very well,” explained Jen.  “I explained how Quinn’s parents wanted to dedicate this special day to doing nice things for others in her memory, and each year my kids (she also has a daughter, Olivia, in high school) and I find different ways to spread kindness to others and also encourage others to pass on that kindness.”

 

Although this year’s “Celebrate QUINNcidence” day is past, it’s never too late to help someone out of the blue.  There are so many ways you can do this.  It doesn’t necessarily have to cost any money.  You never know when even a friendly smile or a kind word can make all the difference in someone’s life.  Remember, they may look okay on the outside, but we never truly know the struggles someone is going through.  These are random acts of kindness we can all afford to do…every day.

 

One thing’s for sure, one girl’s short little life has inspired year’s of kindness that have gone a long way in making big differences for many people in this world.

 

To learn more about “Celebrate QUINNcidence,” visit https://www.facebook.com/quinncidencemarch12/

 
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