Holly Hume is a single mother of four, runs a nonprofit, and teaches aerobics class at the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA). She has found success through pain and learning how to adapt and overcome.
“I am a single, working mom of four amazing children, David (23), Adam (21), Breanna (19), and Kelly would have been 14 on Valentine’s Day of 2021. Ever since I was a little girl all I wanted to be a mom. When I was a teen and young adult, I used to pray that The Heavenly Father would bless me with the best posterity – kind, loving, intelligent, and faithful spirits. This was an answered prayer. They are my world and my inspiration, as is my faith. I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and have a firm testimony that I am a daughter of The Heavenly Father who loves me and that the Savior, Jesus Christ, is my loving brother who atoned for me. I talk to them daily through prayer and desire to have a forever close relationship with them and with my family,” Hume said.
“My puppies motivate me to get up in the morning. Actually, they motivate me to get up around 2 a.m., 4 a.m., and 5:30 a.m. On a serious note, knowing I have responsibilities, commitments, and obligations to my children, jobs, and friends/family is what motivates me to get up in the morning. I want to be a person of integrity and a part of that is following through on commitments and promises,” Hume said.
Hume has a large family and likes to do things like hiking, traveling, and spending time with her family.
“I come from a very large, and very close family. I am one of 11 children. I grew up in Dyer, and purposely chose to stay close to my parents. I wanted my kids to have relationships with them and to have many memories shared with them. My parents have taught me the importance of being honest, hardworking, and of giving service,” Hume said.
“My hobbies include hiking, travelling, exercising, spending time with my children or friends, and playing bunco with friends. This is my new hobby, and my kids would say cleaning. I also love spending time with my dogs, watching a good movie, and doing anything outdoors like tennis, pickleball, swimming, snorkeling, kayaking, canoeing, landscaping. I love being busy and staying active,” Hume said.
Hume has an expansive career spread across many different fields and raised her children until they were all full-time in school.
“I have been teaching aerobics at the Crossroads YMCA for 17 years part-time. I love getting paid to exercise, and the members are like family to me. I also work full-time for the Crown Point Community School Corporation as an admin secretary in the Exceptional Education Department," she said.
"As side jobs, I do logistics for my sister’s Etsy company and sometimes do construction, home, repair and landscaping jobs for other people. I used to own a construction company for a few years, mostly building garages and building our home, but once I decided to go back to school to finish my bachelor's degree in Business Administration," Hume said. "I changed my career to more office type work. The most important part of my career history was staying home and raising my children until they were all in school full-time. I am so grateful I had the opportunity to do so."
Hume has overcome a lot of pain and trials in her life. Through it all, she kept her faith.
“I have had many impactful events,, such as watching my son endure 18 surgeries, and having to learn to be financially independent, but the most impactful and most crushing event of my life was losing my 13-year-old daughter in a car accident on November 21, 2020,” Hume said.
“I never realized how damaging anxiety and depression could be until I saw my daughter losing her hair from trichotillomania. She had therapists, a psychiatrist, and medications, yet she still struggled. Although I tried to help Kelly in every way I could think of, she still suffered, but I am hoping that she will show me how to help others in ways that I couldn’t do for her. I am open to whatever inspiration she sends my way. Her life had meaning and purpose while she was on earth, and she will forever continue to have an eternal purpose, a mission I want to support,” Hume said.
Hume has found her calling in the midst of great tragedy and continues to move forward in her calling.
“For years, Kelly struggled with insomnia due to her anxiety, so she often slept with me. I would wake up before she would, and while getting ready in the morning I often repeatedly listened to the song called 'Valiant Faith.' It inspired me and reminded me of who I wanted to be a warrior of God. A couple of days after Kelly passed away, the thought came to me to listen to that song, so I did over and over until I could feel the darkness pull away from me. It was then that I felt a shift within myself," she said.
Hume knew that she needed to find a new way to connect with Kelly. She spent time in Kelly's bedroom as a way to connect with her. This led to #kellyskindness on social media. Hume's sister helped her start a small business and alongside their church helped get the business off the ground.
"My sister helped me to create a small business card with Kelly’s volleyball picture on it that told people a bit about Kelly, and invited them to do something kind for another person. Hundreds of these cards were being passed out and were being seen in different spots within the community. This built a momentum inside of me," she said.
"Our church and Kelly’s sister Breanna then created and posted a video of who Kelly was and how her example has led to #kellyskindness. Hundreds of people started doing kind acts in her memory. This brought so much healing and joy to my broken heart. Knowing that she was being remembered and honored in such a beautiful way inspired me to want to do more. I wasn’t sure what it was, but after spending time in Kelly’s room I came up with the nonprofit idea of art therapy for youth who suffer from anxiety, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, and or trichotillomania," she said.
Hume plans to expand the nonprofit to reach more people in the community.
“My organization is a 100% not-for-profit entity that is all about giving back and spreading kindness, especially to the youth who are struggling emotionally and mentally,” Hume said.
“For now, I plan to start art classes at St. Jude’s house, continue monthly classes for youth, and choose two or three scholarship recipients for 2022. These recipients will be chosen from art class submissions. All high school and college age students are invited to submit their idea of an art class they can teach. It is open to most forms of art, sketching, painting, cooking Kelly loved making artwork with food and baked goods, designing clothing, etc. The requirements are the classes must be a total of four hours and must be at a level for beginners and the recipient must teach the classes. They can submit their ideas through a recorded PowerPoint presentation, an essay with pictures of what they would do, or a video with an explanation," she said.
Submissions can be sent to kellyskindnessco@gmail.com.