Ebner student ‘warmed everyone’s heart’ with sweet smile
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The community is mourning the loss of an Altoona student taken by cancer.
Kaylee Kruise, a fifth grader at Ebner Elementary School, died Friday after a more than two-year battle with brain cancer.
According to her parents, Richard and Melissa Kruise, Kaylee "warmed everyone's heart with her sweet smile."
The Kruises have been touched by the community's outreach.
"We received support from the school with dress-down days," the Kruises said in a text message. "They had the teachers pay money to dress down, and it (went) to our family. We also received support from the Brian Morden Foundation and Fighting All Monsters," organizations that fight childhood cancer.
Kaylee, 11, had a passion for performing arts, her parents said. She was a student at the Altoona Dance Theatre, where Renee Staines taught her for two years.
Staines first met Kaylee when the latter was an honorary guest at the school's production of "The Nutcracker" in December 2018, and remembers her as dedicated and positive.
"She was one of the most kind, sweet girls," Staines said. "Everybody was always friends with her, and she was always friends with everybody. She was such a hard worker. When people say she was a fighter and never gave up, that's honestly true in every aspect of her life."
"She worked so hard and tried so hard because she really liked (dancing) and she just always had the biggest smile on her face. She definitely will be remembered as an inspiration."
AASD Community Relations Director Paula Foreman acknowledged the struggle of coping with a student death, extending her thoughts to the Kruise family and reflecting on what Kaylee meant to the community.
"The death of a student is difficult, and it's always hard to understand the 'why,'" Foreman said. "Kaylee was a strong young lady and made quite an impression on those who knew her. She will be missed by many people. We extend our sincere sympathy to her family."
Foreman said counseling services will be available for students, families or staff, who can call Ebner Elementary at 946-8400.
Kim Berwager is a kindergarten teacher who didn't have Kaylee as a student but knew her well. She's making "caring for Kaylee" T-shirts for a fundraiser for the Kruise family.
"Kaylee was such a kind, caring and brave little girl," Berwager said. "I followed her journey every step of the way and prayed for her family quite often. That sweet little girl endured more in her life than any child should ever have to, but she did it with such grace. I will never forget her bravery during these hard times."
Berwager said Kaylee left a lasting legacy, which people can learn from.
"She truly has been such an inspiration to all of us," Berwager said. "She showed us to enjoy every minute that we have with our students and our own families."
Kaylee participated in various ministries at Fourth Street Church of God in Altoona, according to Pastor Matthew Hornberger.
"Kaylee was born and raised in this church," Hornberger said. "She was a part of all the children's youth group ministries and an active member of those ministries."
Hornberger described Kaylee as a "natural leader" and said she was "just a joy," always setting a positive example for her peers.
"When we'd have the Christmas plays, no one really wanted to sing their song and say their lines," Hornberger said. "Kaylee was always the one up there going, 'Come on, guys. You can do this.' She was that gal, and she was always on point."
Hornberger said Kaylee was an inspiration, especially when she was faced with cancer.
"She had this invigorating life about her, that big smile and this big enthusiasm with whatever she was doing," he said. "She was always very enthusiastic and just a full-of-life person, even -- this is the remarkable thing about her -- even after the diagnosis. She pushed Mom for the dance class, to be a part of things, and part of ministry and part of life. She never backed out of living her life every second of every day when the deck was just stacked against her."