This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Schools

Friends Remember Kendal on Prom Night

Group travels with gifts to 17-year-old's grave site.

As Hartland High School celebrated its prom, a group of students made sure one of their own who so looked forward to this day would be included.

Dressed to the nines and arriving by limo, some of Kendal Lividini's closest friends detoured to her grave site Friday night, leaving her with bouquets of flowers, a corsage and a handmade prom queen sash and tiara that they laid out over her grave stone. Each also said a few words, saying how they missed her, particularly that night.

Kendal, 17, died Jan. 7 after a nine-month fight against cancer.

Find out what's happening in Hartlandwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“We wanted to do something that would incorporate her, since obviously we’re all thinking of her,” said Madeline Murphy, a close friend of Kendal’s. “Prom was such a big thing for her. She was buried in her prom dress. It was just special.”

Madeline said the trip had been planned out for more than a month. Kendal's presence was felt at the dance as well. Aerosmith's I Don't Want To Miss A Thing was dedicated in Kendal's memory, a song that held special meaning for Kendal and several of her girlfriends.

Find out what's happening in Hartlandwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Her inspirational story continued over the weekend when several of her friends woke early on Saturday to attend the Relay for Life event at the Hartland High School track in Kendal's honor. It was only a year ago that Kendal herself participated in Relay for Life walking with Madeline’s group that celebrated the life of her friend’s mom, Sandy, who died of cancer in 2009. At the time Kendal, who had been recently diagnosed with leukemia, had already beaten the disease once before at age 6 after 26 months of treatment.

“She (Kendal) loved it,” said Madeline, a high school junior. “She emptied her whole wallet. She would love it that we’re here.”

Exhausted, a little cranky, but determined, some agreed that Kendal may have thought they were crazy for being there so early the day after prom, but knew that she would have appreciated it.

"I think she'd be happy," Emily Behnke said.

John Lividini, Kendal's father, who also walked in honor of his daughter on Saturday, said he was touched when he saw pictures of Kendal's friends on prom and how they had included her. 

"Kendal didn't have one best friend, she had many best friends," he said. "Her friends are fantastic."

Participating in events like Relay for Life that are helping to find a cure and also working with their new charity, Team Kendal's Kidz, which helps children with cancer, is now a big focus for the Lividini family.

"Kendal went through a lot and I wished there was a cure for her," Lividini said. "I don’t want anyone to go through what she did."

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?