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The Melissa Cook Memorial Foundation was formed in
honor of Melissa Cook, a Lake County, Indiana native
who was killed in 2002 when scaffolding fell from
the John Hancock Building in Chicago onto her car.
The foundation takes its slogan, "Every Little
Kindness Counts" from the fact that Melissa waved a
pedestrian across the street seconds before she
died, saving the pedestrian and sacrificing herself.
"The silence was deafening for a long time after she died, but now there is a new day. I know she wants us to be happy and go on without her and that's what I'm going to do. We're going to turn a terrible tragedy into something positive for young people for many years to come."
Made possible by the generous contribution of
Melissa's mother and step-father, Linda and Paul
Demo, the Foundation was created to provide a
four-year university "experience" to those deserving
students who might not be able achieve that dream on
their own due to financial limitations. Melissa's
own college experience as a scholarship athlete at
the University of Notre Dame was a pivotal time for
her, shaping her into the young adult she became.
In memory of her wonderful spirit, the Foundation
provides full tuition, room and board to any school
for those recipients selected each year. It is the
goal of the Foundation to continue Melissa's legacy
by making "every little kindness count" for upcoming
generations of men and women.
In addition to the scholarship foundation, the Demos have also chosen to honor Melissa by donating additional settlement funds to build a softball stadium at the University of Notre Dame, where Melissa played on scholarship. The stadium was completed in April 2008 and is a state-of-the-art athletic facility. Between the stadium and the scholarship foundation, Melissa's memory is sure to live on for generations of young people.
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