LETTER: Tribute to ‘little warrior’ a sign of community’s abiding good

To Ozaukee Press:

Our sweet neighbors Lin and Justin Handrow, going through an unimaginable loss, mentioned that they’d love to give their little 2-year-old daughter a hero’s sendoff. And this community totally stepped up. We want to recognize the selflessness shown to this young family, new to our community, throughout their journey, and tell everyone how touched we were by it.  

Most didn’t even know them, and yet were willing to send money and gift cards and tie ribbons and bring flowers and share talents and contact fire departments and organize fundraisers and build a gorgeous playroom and much more, all to try to make a terrible time just a little bit more bearable.

And this last act, at sweet little Avery’s funeral, to mark her passing in a big way, was just another testament to all the good that’s in our community.                

Thank you to the fire departments of Cedarburg, Elkhart Lake, Germantown, Grafton, Port Washington and West Bend, as well as the police departments of Cedarburg, Germantown, Grafton, Greendale, Mequon, Port Washington and Thiensville, and Fire and Iron Stations 37 and 96, for coming to pay tribute to this little warrior.  

We will continue to lift this sweet family up in any way we can, and we thank our beautiful community for its help. We love “Our Home Port.”  

Sara Pashak
Port Washington