Libby’s legacy of compassion, empathy, and selflessness lives on
Libby Hankins' mom founded the Live Like Libby-Love Like Libby Foundation in memory of her daughter who tragically passed.
GORDO, AL. (WCBI) – The Live Like Libby-Love Like Libby Foundation is a nonprofit dedicated to helping the community with whatever it needs.
They do this through donations funded by things like their annual yard sale.
When her daughter, Libby Hankins, was just two and a half years old, Susan Estes got news that no parent wants to hear.
A life-changing diagnosis of cystic fibrosis- a pulmonary disease that affects the lungs and digestive system.
Libby tragically passed in 2017, just 11 months after receiving a lung transplant.
She was only 23.
But in those 23 years, Libby was always a shining light in the darkness.
Estes wanted to continue to spread that light to the world.
That led her to start the Live Like Libby-Love Like Libby Foundation.
“The day that she was going to heaven there were 54,000 people praying for her on that page,” Estes said. “And we just started thinking about like, what would Libby want? She would not want us to go home and get in the bed and never get up again. And I feel like this is our way, the only way we have that we can continue to love her on this side of heaven.”
Libby’s selflessness was apparent in every decision she made.
Even when her own health was failing, she was still thinking of others said Estes.
“She was in every research study that they asked her to today no matter what it was,” Estes said. “And they’d say, ‘Libby, we’re not sure this is going to help you,’ and she said, ‘But it’s going to help somebody else.'”
Libby’s empathy was shown through her unwillingness to accept a second lung transplant if the opportunity ever arose.
Estes said she felt it wasn’t fair when so many never got the chance at even one transplant.
“They never got that call, like their time ran out,” Estes said. “And she was just so concerned with that, and thought about it a lot. And she said, ‘I will take one set of lungs, and I will be so thankful for whatever time I get with them. But I’m gonna do the best that I can with them.'”
Libby didn’t let her cystic fibrosis define her.
Estes said she was just a normal girl at the end of the day.
“She was funny, she was loud, she was loving,” Estes said. “She had the best laugh in the world. She was happiest in a house full of people and friends everywhere. But cystic fibrosis, to her, meant I may have to do some extra things. But we’re going to do them so that I get to do all the fun things.
A volunteer and family friend, Kim Dyer, said she was one-of-a-kind.
“A girl that showed kindness in every way,” Dyer said. “A personality that surpassed all. And her memory just lives on and makes all of us in Gordo want to be a better person and to put others before ourselves. Because that’s what she did, and that’s what we want her foundation to just continue her legacy.”
Dyer said bringing joy to those who feel hopeless means everything, and it’s what the foundation is about.
“All through the day I just keep thinking what this money is going to do for so many families in so many situations that may feel hopeless at the time,” Dyer said. “And this is just a ray of sunshine for them.”
Estes said her foundation lets Libby’s legacy live on.
“It’s a comfort to us,” Estes said. “It’s a way of, you know, sometimes I just sit down at night and I say, ‘Libby, think about what you did today. Like, you bought that kid’s school supplies. You sent this kid on a field trip. Like you’re still here. You’re legacy is still here.'”
The next big event the Live Like Libby-Love Like Libby Foundation is hosting will be the Junk-A-Libby Prom in March.
