Final Ride, Forever Love: Jeepers rally for terminally-ill Georgia woman
Special welcome for terminally-ill woman in North Georgia
A terminally-ill woman received a special welcome from the local Jeep community and others at cabins near Helen in North Georgia on Sunday. She and her family came for a special stay at Tanglewood Cabins after the Dream Foundation reached out to the owners. Mountain Top Jeepers was there to welcome the woman and her family.
WHITE COUNTY, Ga. - What started as a heartfelt request from a national nonprofit became an emotional day of love, community, and support for a young woman who is losing the fight for her life.
When the Dream Foundation, a California-based nonprofit that fulfills final wishes for terminally-ill adults, contacted Alison Cathey, owner of Northeast Georgia Vacation Rentals, about helping a 23-year-old woman named Jakira from Warner Robins, the answer was immediate.
"So the Dream Foundation, they're based out of California. I know that's where their headquarters is. They actually contacted us and they found one of our cabins that we manage on Airbnb and ended up contacting me directly to see if there's something that we would be able to help out with," Cathey said. "And absolutely, we had a daughter last year pass away. So, it hit our hearts big time. We definitely wanted to give back."
Jakira, who loves Jeeps, flashy cars, and all things sparkly, was coming to stay at Haven Haus in Sautee Nacoochee near Helen, Alison Cathey decided to give her a welcome she would never forget. She posted a call on Facebook, asking the community to come together and show support. The response was overwhelming.
Jeepers Respond to Call
The Mountain Top Jeepers, a club with more than 200 members and 2,400 followers, answered the call, joining the same jeep community that had rallied for Cathey’s daughter. On a hot Sunday afternoon, more than three dozen Jeeps, families, and even a few dogs lined Highway 356, honking, cheering, and blowing bubbles to welcome Jakira.
"Brandy (club president) ran across the article on one of the community groups on Facebook. We saw where they're putting this together to welcome Jakira to the area and honestly that is what our club is about a hundred percent. We want to be here to support anybody, everybody, you know, doesn't matter what you're going through, that's what we're here for. You know, it's dear to my heart that we're able to welcome her to Helen," said Jared Baker, vice president for Mountain Top Jeepers.
After the medical transport carrying Jakira pulled in, the doors were opened so she could see the dozens of people who had gathered for her. Smiles, tears, and waves filled the air as her family looked on, deeply touched by the show of love from total strangers.
Granting terminally-ill woman's wish in North Georgia
The Dream Foundation recently contact Alison Cathey, owner of Northeast Georgia Vacation Rentals, about helping fulfill the wish of a terminally ill 23-year-old Warner Robins woman's wish to have a mountain vacation with her family. Cathey said yes and recruited local Jeepers to join her on Sunday, July 27, to welcome Jakira and her family to the North Georgia mountains.
A Speech from the Heart
"We just want to say thank you so much. We run a management company, but this completely hit our hearts. Our daughter passed away a year ago from cancer and we had a Jeep group that came with us and did a huge ride for our daughter," Cathey told the Jeep owners after Jakira headed to her cabin. "So this was absolutely amazing. We knew in our hearts that we had to give back to this family, knowing that they're only going to have a few days left with their daughter. So this was her last ride. Thank you so much for making a huge impact on her. I'm sure her family will remember this forever."
The Jeep Community’s Ongoing Impact
The Mountain Top Jeepers, which refer to themselves as "Jamily," aren’t new to giving back. Recently, they hosted a Christmas in July event, collecting toys for local teens through Toys for Tots, and their annual Mountain Top Invasion event last year in Clarkesville raised more than $6,000 for the North Georgia Autism Foundation. They also regularly support local animal shelters.
But on this day, the group’s biggest donation wasn’t money — it was time, love, and the unshakable sense of community that made Jakira’s final ride one to remember.