Thousands of strangers helped Kyle Hesselbrock as he fought and finally succumbed to Tay-Sachs disease.

        Now Kyle's relatives are lending a helping hand to another family struggling with a life-threatening illness.

        When Spencer Traub, Kyle's grandfather, read about the family of Rich and Kim Lowery and their fight with mitochondrial disease in the Enquirer Wednesday, he knew he had to help.

TO DONATE

A benefit fund has been set up for the Lowery family through Firstar Bank. Donations can be sent to the Tanner Lowery Fund, No. 486-699-531, at any Firstar Bank.

        “It just really hit me: We've got to help them,” said Mr. Traub, who lives in Deerfield Township. Kyle was 33 months old when he died of Tay-Sachs disease in July 1999.

        For the Lowerys, mitochondrial disease, a genetic disorder that leaves patients unable to convert food into energy to make the body function, has made four family members very ill. Kim Lowery and the couple's three sons, Tripp, 11, Tanner, 7, and Thomas, 3, all have the disease.

        Medical bills are a burden for the Hamilton Township family.

        So Mr. Traub and Kyle's parents, Suzanne and Andy Hesselbrock, decided to take some of the funds raised - all the pennies donors dropped in collection jars around Kyle's neighborhood - and donate it to the Lowerys.

        Mr. Traub estimates the pennies, which are unwrapped, add up to $700 to $800.

        Mr. Traub says he hopes other families will be inspired to help the Lowerys.

        “There might be lots of people with little jars full of change,” he said.

        Mr. Traub was struck by the scope of the Lowery family's problems. “They've got four people sick. I don't know if we could grasp that,” he said.

        Mr. Lowery called the family's decision “a remarkable thing to do.”
       

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