LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – When talking about her dad, 11-year-old Kaylee Hernandez said he always took the time to support her.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was a present father,\u201d Kaylee said. \u201cHe would go to school with me, do donuts with dad and all that. He was there for me.\u201d<\/p>\n
She described her father, Ricky Hernandez, as a man of God, and said her favorite memories were him were at the fair, riding rides that spun so fast Kaylee couldn\u2019t believe it. <\/p>\n
By early 2024, Ricky had been battling throat cancer for quite some time. Kaylee, along with her family, was able to make it out to Round Rock that spring to visit a local water park and see her dad after he underwent chemotherapy.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was fun cause we went out of town,\u201d Kaylee said, \u201cthen I kept on texting him here and there.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Hernandez family\u2019s trip was from May 28 to June 2. Ricky passed away the following morning.<\/p>\n
Ricky\u2019s life was honored and celebrated in the days and weeks that followed, his funeral expenses were paid for but a headstone was not included. For nearly two years, a piece of paper and a plaque made by the family marks his gravesite. <\/p>\n
After her aunt attempted to raise funds to purchase a headstone, Kaylee began to put together a plan to help out.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe least I could do is do this,\u201d Kaylee said, \u201cand I said perfect, Lemonade Day is literally right there, so I\u2019m going to do that.\u201d<\/p>\n
From 1 to 4 p.m. this Saturday, she\u2019ll be in front of Lash and Brow Studio off 65th St. and University Ave. She\u2019ll have brownies, chips, Kool-Aid pickles and, of course, lemonade. All money raised will go towards purchasing that headstone her father deserves.<\/p>\n
Kaylee said she\u2019s excited to see her family and the community come out and take part in Lemonade Day and hopes this honors the 51 years her father spent on this earth.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s important to me because I want to have my dad\u2019s headstone there,\u201d Kaylee said. \u201cHe\u2019s been passed away for two years, and so I would like to give him the headstone.\u201d<\/p>\n
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