Niles girl's death 10 years ago remembered with June 4 blood drive
The tragic passing of a 10-year-old Niles girl from a car accident during a family vacation to Galena a decade ago will be remembered with a LifeSource blood drive from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday, June 4, at Niles Community Church, 7401 West Oakton St., Niles.
Outgoing and personable, Jenny Riemer's summer vacation was about to begin: classes at nearby Nelson Elementary School had just ended, and the fourth-grader was looking forward to exploring scenic Galena with her family. Even better, a fellow classmate would be joining her on the trip.
Entering the Eagle Ridge Resort area, Riemer's stepdad suffered an epileptic seizure. Their SUV went off the road, down an embankment and rolled over.
Jenny and her grandmother were killed instantly.
Jenny's mother, Joyce White, suffered two broken hips and a crushed pelvis, and required a blood transfusion. The youngster's friend also suffered injuries.
While shocked family members, friends and classmates joined a somber and tearful funeral procession down Milwaukee Avenue to nearby Ridgewood Cemetery, Joyce White, now an administrative operations manager at Athletico Physical Therapy, lay in critical condition at Loyola University Hospital in Maywood. Numerous orthopedic surgeries and months of rehabilitation would follow.
"Jenny came out of the womb ready-to-roll," her mom recalls. "She was fun and feisty. She was an avid reader, loved dance, and really enjoyed making arts and crafts."
Joyce White theorizes that her daughter strived to achieve as much as she could in her life, as if somehow she knew it might be cut short. If Jenny Riemer had her way, she'd fast-track childhood, puberty and adolescence for life as a teen.
"Jenny was already a teenager in her own mind," reminisces White. "She was six when her older brother, Jeff, got his driver's license. Jenny was upset - she wanted her license, even though her foot couldn't reach the pedal."
Athletico's Support
In a gesture unseen in corporate America, many of White's Athletico co-workers donated to her their own vacation days following the accident, allowing the Niles woman extra time to recover and process her devastating loss.
A decade later, the company remains supportive of White and her efforts to coordinate a LifeSource blood drive to honor her daughter's memory. Each unit of donated blood, LifeSource says, can support up to three lives.
"When I came back to Athletico after the accident, I was welcomed with open arms and shown a lot of love and support," White shares. "I'm grateful to work for an organization that cares for its employees, and gives back to the community."
For Joyce White, encouraging others to donate blood this summer is the best way to honor her daughter's memory.
The June 4 kick-off event at Niles Community Church will begin a two-month Athletico promotion when clients and staff at 110 Chicago area locations will be encouraged to donate blood at any of LifeSource's 17 community donor centers or four fixed-site donation locations.
Those who mention "Athletico" from June 4-August 4 will receive a coupon for a free Home Run Inn frozen pizza.
To schedule their appointment, donors can visit Niles Community Church, call LifeSource at (877) 543-3768 or schedule online at www.lifesource.org, using sponsor code REHB. Appointments are recommended, but walk-ins are welcome.
Blood donors must be at least 17 years old (or 16 years old with parental consent). In preparation for their donation, donors are asked to eat well, stay hydrated and arrive with proper identification.