Springville » Kirsten Hullinger was much like any busy mother of five. She balanced piano lessons, sports practices, work as a teacher at Spanish Fork High School and time to run with her friends.
That normalcy, though, came to a heartbreaking stop on Aug. 30, 2006, when she was in a hurry to get her kids to a soccer practice and accidentally ran over and killed her 15-month-old daughter, Elle.
"Words simply cannot express the pain, sorrow, and guilt I feel even today," she said. "I don't understand why this had to happen, but I have faith that someday I will. I have tried to go on with my life the best that I can. I want to make her proud, and be strong for her, for my husband, and for our children."
The community shared her heartache, and she received hundreds of letters and cards from friends and complete strangers, many expressing the want to help, but not knowing how.
Hullinger's brother, Blaine Bird, approached her and her husband, Scott, who coaches basketball at Springville High, about starting a scholarship fund with the Nebo Education Foundation, where Bird is vice president.
"When Elle got run over, it was a horrific thing," Bird said, "and we wanted to find something positive that could come out of it."
The response was overwhelming.
Lana Hiskey, who serves as the director of the foundation, has overseen scholarships for five high schools in Nebo School District over the past eight years, and she says none receives donations from such a broad base of people as the Live wElle Scholarship Fund.
"I was amazed at the love and support for the Hullinger family when we started this scholarship," Hiskey said. "And since we've gotten to know the family better, I can see why it is so supported. The Hullingers just give and give to the community, and they have a huge impact in their students' lives."
One of those students was Lana Hiskey's son, Houston, whom Kirsten Hullinger taught at Spanish Fork High School. Houston qualified for resource classes, but instead opted to take regular classes. Students who conquer such challenges are the type who qualify for the scholarship, which is awarded based on an essay detailing such experiences. Hullinger encouraged Houston to apply, and the 10 judges who read his essay unanimously chose him as one of the winners of the $1,000 scholarships. Generally each year, one senior from Springville High and one from Spanish Fork High are awarded the scholarships.
"Kirsten has made a huge difference in many students' lives," Lana Hiskey said. "She puts in the extra effort. She knows what motivates them and she instills a love of learning in them."
The scholarship fund, which has about $25,000 in it, has given out seven scholarships since its launch in 2007. The Hullingers also have started a separate foundation to provide support to families who have lost a child.
Christmas 2006 was the first without Elle, and it was one when Kirsten Hullinger "wasn't really into anything" as she grappled with the loss of her daughter. One day, she opened her door to find a Christmas tree from the Festival of Trees.
"It was only a few months after the accident, and the whole first year was just so hard," Hullinger said through tears. "It was such a loving, caring gesture to get that tree."
This past Christmas, she was able to use money from the Live wElle Foundation to buy a tree for a family who recently had lost a son. She hopes to increase the number of trees next year and also branch out into other areas.
The Live wElle Foundation hosts an annual 5K run each Memorial Day Weekend to raise funds for both foundations. In 2007, its first year, about 400 people participated. This year, that number swelled to 930. At the end of the race, participants release hundreds of pink and white balloons in honor of Elle.
"That 5K number just continues to grow," Bird said. "It's just a huge show of support for the Hullinger family. It's still ugly and tough in many ways, but Kirsten is pretty incredible and her family has been incredible. We're just trying to support them."
