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Dance will help family of 5-year-old cancer victim
Dancing with the feet is one thing, but dancing with the heart is another.
On Saturday, Feb. 11, the Continental Event Center in Manassas will host a family-friendly Valentine’s Day dance to raise money for the family of a 5-year-old who died of cancer in December.
Autumn Hoeft was a kindergartener at the T. Clay Wood Elementary School and her illness left her parents, Gordon and Angela Marie (Rose) Hoeft, with a stack of hospital bills.
The dance, sponsored by the Wood Elementary PTO, along with businessman Jim Hester and the Autumn’s Army charity group, will raise funds to help the family recover.
“We are in it to help this family,” said Hester, a Bristow resident and the owner of the Continental Event Center in Manassas.
Every Christmas, Hester and his business partner and wife, Michelle, hold a toy drive for children in the area. Last December, Hester was approached by a friend, Mindy Diepenbrock, a foot soldier in Autumn’s Army, asking for his help with a specific family.
Autumn’s Army is a group of friends, classmates and strangers who banded together to help the Hoeft family during Autumn’s illness. Since her death, they have continued to help support her parents and sister, Amanda Elaine Wills.
“Mindy let me know Autumn liked princesses,” recalled Hester. After shopping, he contacted Diepenbrock to ask about delivering the princess pajamas for Autumn and Kohl’s gift card for Amanda for Christmas. Instead, Diepenbrock delivered the news that Autumn had died.
After some tears and a moment of clarity, he said the idea of a benefit dance came to him.
“God just put it on my heart,” said Hester. “I don’t know the family at all.”
On Feb.8, 2010, doctors performed a biopsy on Autumn and found an extremely rare, aggressive tumor and diagnosed Autumn with Leptomeningeal disease.
According to the University of Minnesota Masonic Cancer Center, this type of tumor is fast-growing, attacks the brain and spinal cord and usually occurs in children younger than 3. The outcome is seldom good.
Two websites, www.autumnsarmy.com, and www.caringbridge.org/visit/autumnhoeft, chronicled the Hoeft family’s struggle. Weekly updates from Angela Hoeft, shared Autumn’s struggle as her health deteriorated and she went from hospital to hospital. In heart-wrenching detail, the Hoefts shared the highs and lows, along with verses of scripture and positive messages of hope.
What began on Jan. 17, 2010, with a series of headaches ended on Dec. 10, 2011 when as her mom wrote on the website, “Autumn’s miracle was answered, God granted her His ultimate healing. He took her home.”
The family held a celebration of her life on Jan. 7, 2012 at Park Valley Church in Haymarket.
Hester said he hopes some of the Hoefts will attend the Valentine Dance on Feb. 11 so he can meet them.
Diepenbrock said she believes several family members plan to attend.
“It was just a God epiphany,” said Hester.
The idea has garnered so much attention that the event is almost sold out.
“We’ll end up with 350 people,” he said. Between donations and ticket sales, Hester estimated the army of helpers has raised nearly $4,000, even before the auction proceeds are added.
Hester enlisted neighbors, friends and business acquaintances like the owners of Bella Vita of Manassas to help put together the fundraiser.
“We’ve had five weeks to pull this together,” said Diepenbrock who, like Hester has never met the Hoefts. She saw Autumn on the playground and in the hallways at school where her two children attend. When she heard the news of Autumn’s condition, she said “I called the counselor to see how I could help.”
Then, she called the Bristow Mom and Kids group (BMAC) to enlist others into Autumn’s Army.
“We’ve been working into the wee hours of the night,” said Diepenbrock, who coordinated the auction along with Karla Jerde and Jennifer Knutson.
“I’m just doing what he tells me to do,” Hester said, referring to God. “He’s just working through me.”
The Wood Elementary website has advertised the Valentine’s dance and silent auction and as of press time, the event was nearly sold out. Donations are still welcome.
Donations can be sent to the Continental Event Center, 9705 Liberia Ave., Ste. 101, Manassas, VA 20110 or to T. Clay Wood Elementary School, 10600 Kettle Run Road, Nokesville, VA 20181.
A special account has been set up for donations. For more information, call 703-596-2164.
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