Kelsey's Courage

06/03/2026

June 26th, 2012 forever changed our families lives……but gave hope and life to others. 💞💞💞

In Loving Memory of Kelsey Mae Misialek. 💞💞💞

Midwest Communications Fargo radio stations Y94 & Today's New Country Froggy 99.9 are part of the Cares For Kids Radiothon at Sanford Children's Hospital wit...

06/03/2026

Did you know that sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or gender expression don't prevent someone from becoming an organ donor? The decision to donate is based on medical criteria, not who you are or who you love.

One donor can save up to 8 lives and heal countless more through tissue donation. This month and every month, we honor the LGBTQ+ community and encourage everyone to register as a donor.

❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

05/02/2026

Caleb Nissen of Fargo South High School is named the 2026 Kelsey’s Courage Scholarship Recipient!!

04/30/2026

04/03/2026

Today is our birthday! 💙💚🥳 For 34 years, Donate Life America's mission has been to educate, inspire and activate the public to say "Yes!" to registering their decision to be an organ, eye and tissue donor. Learn more about us at DonateLife.net/about/

You know what would be the best present? Signing up today at RegisterMe.org to help save and heal lives 🎁

04/01/2026

🎓💛 Hey North Dakota Seniors! Don’t Miss This! 💛🎓

The Kelsey’s Courage Scholarship is calling YOUR name! If you’re a high school senior in North Dakota planning to pursue a degree in health care, this is your chance to shine. 🌟

Applications are due April 1st—that’s right, the deadline is coming fast! ⏰

This scholarship honors students who show determination, courage, and a heart for helping others. If that sounds like you (or someone you know), don’t wait—get your application in and take the first step toward your future in health care. 🩺💙

📌 Deadline: April 1st
📌 Who: ND high school seniors pursuing health care

Tag a friend who needs to see this and let’s celebrate the next generation of health care heroes! 🙌✨

03/19/2026

The deadline for the Kelsey’s Courage Scholarship is coming up quickly — April 1st will be here before we know it.

This scholarship was created to honor Kelsey, her courage, and the dream she had of becoming an orthopedic surgeon. Even though her life was cut far too short, her passion for helping others continues to live on through this scholarship.

The Kelsey’s Courage Scholarship is open to any high school senior who is pursuing a degree in the health care field. It is our hope to support and encourage those who share the same heart for caring for others that Kelsey had.

If you or someone you know is planning to pursue a career in health care, please consider applying before the April 1st deadline.

Please help share and spread the word so Kelsey’s legacy can continue to make a difference.

03/11/2026

June 26, 2012 is a date that forever changed my life.

That’s the day I lost my middle sister, Kelsey. She was only 15 years old after suffering injuries from a 4-wheeler accident. At 15, she already had big dreams of becoming an orthopedic surgeon and helping people one day.

Growing up in a small rural community back then, there weren’t many resources for grief. As a young kid trying to understand such a huge loss, I struggled in ways I didn’t know how to explain. Grief followed me into school, into friendships, and into everyday life. I had a hard time connecting with people, and on top of that, I experienced bullying from classmates and a lack of understanding from teachers who didn’t know how to help a grieving child.

It took years to truly understand what grief looks like.

In the almost 14 years since losing her, I’ve learned that grief isn’t weakness. Grief is love with nowhere to go. It comes in waves. Sometimes it hits you on your hardest days, and sometimes it crashes over you on what should be your happiest ones.

Not a single day goes by that I don’t think about the life Kelsey should have had. I should have been able to watch her graduate high school. I should have seen her chase her dream of becoming a surgeon. I should have been there when she started a family of her own.

Kelsey had the biggest heart. She loved her community, she loved helping others, and she had the most goofy, unforgettable smile that could light up a room.

Even in her passing, she continued to help others. Through organ donation, Kelsey gave the ultimate gift — the gift of life. Because of her selfless decision, she saved lives and continues to live on through others.

Her story didn’t end that day. We continue to keep her memory alive through a scholarship in her name and by sharing her story whenever we can.

Kelsey shaped who I am today. She is one of the biggest reasons I chose a career in healthcare — because I want to care for people the way she cared for others.

If you’re walking through grief right now, please hear this: your feelings matter. Your pain matters. Your story matters. Grief is not something you “get over.” It’s something you learn to carry.

And even on the days it feels heavy, you are not alone.

You are loved. 🤍

~Kendra

01/28/2026

Why Saying a Child's Name Matters

Many people hesitate to say the name of a child who has died-not because they don't care, but because they are afraid. Afraid of saying the wrong thing. Afraid of causing tears. Afraid of reopening a wound.

What most do not realize is this: the wound is never closed.

A bereaved parent does not need help remembering their child. Their name is already written on the heart. What they need is to know is that their child is remembered.

When you speak a bereaved child's name, you are not reminding them of their loss.

You are reminding them of the love.

You are saying,
"Your child mattered.
Their life mattered.
They are not forgotten."

Scripture gently affirms this sacred remembering:

"I thank my God every time I remember you."
(Philippians 1:3)

Remembering is not painful in itself. Silence is.

Tears may come when you say their child's name-but those tears are not a sign of harm. They are often a sign of relief. A release. A holy response to being seen and understood. Tears are one of the ways love continues to speak.

When you say a child's name, you step onto sacred ground.
You honor a life that holds meaning.
You affirm that death did not erase relationship.
You join bereaved parents in carrying what they were never meant to carry alone.

If you are unsure what to say, simply say:
“I remember the time (say the name)_________.” or “______would have lived this apple pie.” or “
“I was thinking about you and _______ today.”

Say it gently.
Say it with reverence.
Say it with love.

Because saying a child's name is not reopening a wound.
It is acknowledging a bond that never ends.

Lord, give us the courage to remember, the tenderness to speak their names, and the grace to honor every child whose life still lives on in love. Teach us to walk gently with grieving hearts, reflecting Your compassion in every word we speak. Amen.

Dr. Cali
Bereaved Mother
Bereaved Parents Advocate
Grief Educator
Compassionate Friend