ST. GEORGE — Community support surrounded the Taylor Andrews Academy of Hair Design in St. George Saturday during a fundraiser held for the benefit of 5-year-old Kycie Terry, who is currently in Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City after having complications related to undiagnosed Type 1 diabetes. 

Terry family friend and hairdresser Lacy Christensen has been cutting the Terry family’s hair for years, and Kycie in particular has been her youngest client. Christensen organized the “Cuts for Kycie” event, held at the Taylor Andrews Academy, 42 S. River Road, from 1-9 p.m. to help the Terry family with expenses associated with Kycie’s care.

Watch videocast of the event top of this report by clicking the arrow   to play.

Background

Kycie Terry is in Intermountain Healthcare’s Primary Children’s Hospital as she undergoes medical care after being flown there from St. George on Jan. 30 when symptoms, which first seemed flulike, proved to be Type 1 diabetes.

Kycie’s condition continued to decline with a seizure and high glucose, and later she became unresponsive. An MRI indicated possible extensive damage to her brain stem; and her parents, Josh and Jamie Terry, were told she may never breathe on her own again.

However, in the last month Kycie has progressed, with steps toward responsiveness, and the Terry family holds onto hope.

See Feb. 18 video: No Filter: 5-year-old Kycie captures hearts of community

“Cuts for Kycie”

The Taylor Andrews Academy along with vendors The Corn Dog Truck, Waffle Bliss, Nacho Mama and The Sugar Cookie donated revenues generated during the “Cuts for Kycie” event to the Terry family.

People were waiting in line for haircuts all night, Christensen said.

“She is such a good friend,” Christensen said of Jamie Terry. “She’s one of those people who would give you the shirt off her back. She would do anything for you.”

Anne Vernon brought her girls, Aliyah, Taya, and Camdyn, to support Kycie. As a mother with young children, Vernon said, it is awful knowing that a condition, like Kycie’s can happen.

“I’ve been bawling tears every night knowing that, that stuff can happen and you don’t even know,” she said. “That’s the hard part.”

But, Vernon said, Kycie’s situation helps others to be more aware so that when something goes on with their own child, they may go get it checked out.

Knox Rieck, 4, was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when he was 3 years old. He and his family came to Kycie’s fundraiser to bring awareness and share their experience in noticing Knox’s first signs of diabetes.

Joe and Kalli Rieck said the signs they noticed in their son Knox were frequent urination, a fruity flavor in his mouth and constant thirst. He was asking for water and treats, Joe Rieck said.

“We were really luck the way we found out about it,” Joe Rieck said.

When Kalli Rieck was with him at the home of Knox’s grandparents one day the previous year, they noticed him acting lethargic and tested his blood, finding he had a high blood reading. They took him to Dixie Regional Medical Center in St. George and learned he had diabetes, Joe Rieck said.

“I think the biggest thing is, some of the signs that you don’t realize are signs of diabetes,” Kalli Rieck said. “We didn’t even know what diabetes was until (Knox) was diagnosed.”

Fundraising

Although the donations generated by “Cuts for Kaycie” had not been tallied as this report was prepared, more than $40,000 has been raised to date through and according to the Kisses for Kycie fundraising Web page.

St. George News, Fusion Pharmacy, Dixie 4WD, Appliance Wholesalers Plus, Joseph Hansen Insurance and Desert Coach RV, together, will also donate to the Terry family, $1 for every Facebook share of No Filter episode 27 up to $1,700.

Resources

• Visit the fundraising page “Kisses for Kycie“
• For the Terry family’s updates on Kycie: Visit Instagram at jjterry77 and jandjterry | Kisses for Kycie Facebook

Related posts

• Neighbors rally for young girl unexpectedly hospitalized; ‘Kisses for Kycie’
• No Filter: 5-year-old Kycie captures hearts of community; fundraiser planned
• Believe4Britton: Community continues to rally, raising over $20,000
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• Community welcomes cancer survivor Taleah, 5, home with new playroom; STGnews Videocast

Ed. note re correction and clarification: Low glucose corrected to high glucose with reference to Kycie’s early condition. Complications arose early on from her undiagnosed Type 1 diabetes, as pointed out by a St. George News reader, and that clarification has been made.

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