Wednesday, September 10, 2014 By Kelly de la Rocha
SCHENECTADY — When Jathyis LaJuett got down on his knee to propose to Jahaysia Graham a few weeks ago, the thoughts racing through his mind were likely the same any guy would have at a moment like that.
“I didn’t know how she would react or what the answer was going to be or how her mom or anybody would feel,” the 20-year-old explained.
But he had something much more troubling to consider: Jahaysia is battling cancer and is under hospice care.
The two met about four years ago, when Jahaysia’s family moved across the street from Jathyis’ mother in Schenectady. Jathyis said he thought Jahaysia was wonderful from day one.
“She’s the sweetest, most beautiful [girl],” he said. “She’s very generous, loving, caring, everything you could think about. She is, in my eyes, perfect, too. I look past the sickness. You know, it’s not really about that.”
A little over a week ago, he popped the question.
“It wasn’t really nowhere special,” he lamented. “It was at home.”
But Jahaysia didn’t seem to mind. She was very surprised and emotional, he recalled.
Her answer was “Yes.”
Jahaysia, who’s 19, was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in January 2013. Her mother, LaToy Sheffield, said the disease has made her middle child weak and short of breath. Fluid is building up in her daughter’s abdomen and must be drained.
The good news is, Jahaysia is in love, and there is a wedding in the works. Sheffield is trying hard to focus on that.
Aware of how serious Jahaysia’s illness is, the newly engaged couple decided to plan their wedding quickly. It will be held Friday.
When The Community Hospice staff got wind of their plans, they offered to help organize the event and support it with money from the organization’s Wish Fund. Fueled by donations from the community, the fund is tapped to help people achieve their goals and dreams while under hospice care.
The Community Hospice put up a Facebook post about the upcoming wedding Saturday night, complete with pictures of Jahaysia trying on wedding gowns. The post went viral.
“I’d say our average post gets maybe 80, a couple hundred ‘likes.’ That’s our norm,” said Laurie Mante, executive director of The Community Hospice.
Within 13 hours, the post about the wedding had already received about 150,000 likes and donation offers were flooding in from all over the country. As of Tuesday afternoon, the post had racked up more than 346,000 likes and had been shared close to 12,000 times.
“We were overwhelmed at how much people were just willing to jump in and be part of it. We had people offering to bake cakes who were in Colorado,” Mante said.
A woman who owns a children’s boutique in New Jersey is sending a flower girl dress. Someone in Arizona is shipping a guest book and ring bearer’s pillow. A donor in Florida is making personalized wedding favors. Local businesses have stepped up to contribute attire, food, rings, flowers, entertainment, tents, chairs and more.
Jathyis said the outpouring of support has blown his mind. Initially, the couple had envisioned a small wedding with maybe 40 or 50 guests.
“But once we put it on Facebook, everybody wanted to come and see and is excited. A lot of people will be there,” he said.
Jathyis said he’s excited, too, but mostly for his bride-to-be.
“She’s getting everything that she’s wanted, and she’s happy,” he said.
Sheffield said she’s very pleased with the young man her daughter has chosen to marry.
“Just to be the age that he is and come into my daughter’s life and just want to be a part of enjoying every moment, every day, every minute with her, rather than to be, you know, going off and doing what other 20-year-olds do at this time and age, I just really appreciate him,” she said. “He’s with her 24-7. I feel like he almost postponed his life to be there for her, and he doesn’t even take a second thought. He doesn’t even bat an eye at it.
“I’ve been with the both of them when she’s in the hospital. He just constantly rubs her and asks her if she’s OK and kisses her on the cheek and calls her beautiful. It’s amazing.”
"I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness, starving hysterical naked, dragging themselves through the negro streets at dawn looking for an angry fix,"
Does anyone think that the selfish greedy King Phillip would make a donation by putting on the reception at the "not-for-profit," taxpayer funded, tax exempt Key Hall?
Don't hold your breath for a donation from the king. He won't even host a Thanksgiving dinner for the poor there
Optimists close their eyes and pretend problems are non existent. Better to have open eyes, see the truths, acknowledge the negatives, and speak up for the people rather than the politicos and their rich cronies.
Does anyone think that the selfish greedy King Phillip would make a donation by putting on the reception at the "not-for-profit," taxpayer funded, tax exempt Key Hall?
Don't hold your breath for a donation from the king. He won't even host a Thanksgiving dinner for the poor there
then it would be the 'taxpayers' paying for it!!!! tax money shouldn't pay for these things......donations only if people choose to donate!
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
then it would be the 'taxpayers' paying for it!!!! tax money shouldn't pay for these things......donations only if people choose to donate!
No, taxpayers paid for the buildings to be redone. Taxpayer pay the property taxes. All the weddings and functions there are paid for by the users and where does that money go? NOT back to the community Morris' failure use Key Hall to serve the poor or donate the hall for a function like this proves Key Hall is NOT a "not-for-profit."
Optimists close their eyes and pretend problems are non existent. Better to have open eyes, see the truths, acknowledge the negatives, and speak up for the people rather than the politicos and their rich cronies.
No, taxpayers paid for the buildings to be redone. Taxpayer pay the property taxes. All the weddings and functions there are paid for by the users and where does that money go? NOT back to the community Morris' failure use Key Hall to serve the poor or donate the hall for a function like this proves Key Hall is NOT a "not-for-profit."
so you are picking and choosing 'who' should benefit from taxpayer's money? can't have it both ways.
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
so you are picking and choosing 'who' should benefit from taxpayer's money? can't have it both ways.
What I am trying to say is this Key Hall banquet hall was virtually all done with taxpayer handouts, it is tax exempt on the alleged claim that it is a "not for profit." But anyone with intelligence, a brain, and common sense that such a lavish place that is VERY VERY VERY expensive to host a wedding reception, anniversary parties, serving the upscale foods that high society eats, is CLEARLY 100% "for profit."
P Morris is so filthy selfish and greedy that he does NOT have the compassion to donate the use of the venue for this wedding. He is so filthy selfish and greedy that he does NOT take use the taxpayer handouts to give back to the community by hosting a nice dinner for the homeless or poor for Thanksgiving, like the true not-for-profit Equinox does. For his quarter of a million dollar taxpayer funded salary (and fleeing Schenectady and having LIED on the legal document regarding STAR for which he double dipped ILLEGALLY), how can he be so selfish as to refuse to use the taxpayer funded venue for the good of the poor in the city. Taxpayers paid for this place but taxpayers would NEVER NEVER get to use the place at no cost in exchange for footing the bill for it. Again, this Key Hall is defined as a not-for-profit, but the ONLY events held there are expensive lavish affairs. That does NOT meet the definition of not-for profit.
Optimists close their eyes and pretend problems are non existent. Better to have open eyes, see the truths, acknowledge the negatives, and speak up for the people rather than the politicos and their rich cronies.
P Morris is so filthy selfish and greedy that he does NOT have the compassion to donate the use of the venue for this wedding. He is so filthy selfish and greedy that he does NOT take use the taxpayer handouts to give back to the community by hosting a nice dinner for the homeless or poor for Thanksgiving, like the true not-for-profit Equinox does. For his quarter of a million dollar taxpayer funded salary (and fleeing Schenectady and having LIED on the legal document regarding STAR for which he double dipped ILLEGALLY), how can he be so selfish as to refuse to use the taxpayer funded venue for the good of the poor in the city. Taxpayers paid for this place but taxpayers would NEVER NEVER get to use the place at no cost in exchange for footing the bill for it. Again, this Key Hall is defined as a not-for-profit, but the ONLY events held there are expensive lavish affairs. That does NOT meet the definition of not-for profit.
First......that's what the city mission is for.
Second.....Morris may be filthy selfish...but only because the 'system' allows him to be. Morris is just the end result ofa corrupt system....and don't think it wouldn't be any different if the reps were in!!
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
Morris isn't selfish....he like others in his position are pomp and self congratulating.....
'look what I did'.....it is after all the era of American Idol/Facebook/the voice etc etc.....
we'll never put THAT genie back in the bottle but we can defund it all....
Morris IS selfish. We all know volunteers don't get paid. But Morris makes those who volunteer to pay him!
Morris IS selfish He LIED on official legal documents about having a STAR exemption.
Optimists close their eyes and pretend problems are non existent. Better to have open eyes, see the truths, acknowledge the negatives, and speak up for the people rather than the politicos and their rich cronies.
Um, Proctors and Key Hall are "not for profits" which means they are to serve the poor in the community. Hospitals are not-for-profit, they cannot turn away the people--poor and low income--without insurance, and accept very low reimbursements for Medicaid. Charities are not-for-profit, they are eligibile for that status and tax exemptions and as such are mandated to provide service for the poor. Food pantries are not-for-profit - they are eligible for that status because they serve the poor. Theaters that are not-for-profits are virtually entirely run by volunteers, sure, they charge for shows but charge very very little, just enough to meet basic expenses - they are not-for-profits and are eligible for that status because they do not have high paid staffs, they provide their service of theater to people at costs that poor people can afford.
Proctors and Key Hall are allegedly not-for-profit and thus must serve the poor and less fortunate. Please state what they do for the poor? Do they allow the poor to attend shows for free? Hell, if a person on welfare wanted to volunteer in the gift shop, that poor person would be ordered to pay Morris some money. Key Hall - what banquets does this not-for-profit but on for the poor??????
Optimists close their eyes and pretend problems are non existent. Better to have open eyes, see the truths, acknowledge the negatives, and speak up for the people rather than the politicos and their rich cronies.
Morris IS selfish. We all know volunteers don't get paid. But Morris makes those who volunteer to pay him!
you are kidding here....right? You might as well join the dems!!!!!!! you make EVERYONE out to be a friggin' victim!!!! Morris MAKES the volunteers pay him??? ; They have NO CHOICE???? PALLLLEEEZZZZEEEE... ....not to mention...most 'volunteer' just to see the shows....we know many of them...and they ain't bit@hin about it either.
Hey...here's an idea....tell ALL the volunteers to quit.....see how that works out.
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
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