For Alyssa Hutchens, her childhood was full of joyful, everyday activities. Whether playing volleyball with the girls, shooting hoops with the boys, hunting and fishing with her dad, riding 4-wheelers and jet skis, watching sports, taking care of her 4-H animals, going on family vacations, and spending time with friends, Alyssa cherished it all.
“For Alyssa, that was what life was all about,” her mother, Amy Hutchens, said. “Alyssa was most comfortable in T-shirts, basketball shorts and tennis shoes. No fancy hairdo (always in a ponytail), no nail polish or makeup; just a simple, beautiful girl who lived her life with a big heart and contagious smile who enjoyed giving back to others.”
But in 2011, when Alyssa was just 13 years old, she collapsed at home, and was rushed to her local doctor, transported to the hospital by ambulance and then life-flighted to Children’s Mercy by the Critical Care Transport Team. She had contracted H1N1 (Swine Flu) Influenza, accompanied by strep and pneumonia. She also developed sepsis and suffered organ failure. She was only given a 20-percent chance to survive, but she beat the odds.
She had to give up playing the sports she so enjoyed. Alyssa’s love for sports began at age 5 when she became an avid athlete. She played competitive volleyball, basketball and softball. Her childhood dream was to go to college to play basketball and then become a nurse.
Since she loved the outdoors, but could no longer compete in sports, her parents bought her a 4-wheeler. She spent hours riding it around their home and they took regular family rides down the country roads. When the family found out about the McLouth, Kan. ATV Poker Run, which is held every June, Alyssa and her dad rode their ATVs in the event. “She loved the ride so much she told me they all had to attend the following summer, which we did and had a blast,” Amy said.
After Alyssa slowly recovered from her near-death illness in 2011, she became a volunteer at Children’s Mercy in physical therapy, as well as a committed volunteer with Ronald McDonald House Charities in Kansas City, often raising funds to help children and families battling illnesses. She was also an active member of the Army of Christ Youth Group in Easton, Kan., where she impacted many people in the community.
Serving as a volunteer at Children’s Mercy and the Ronald McDonald House was very important to Alyssa. She was a patient at Children’s Mercy in 2011, for 43 days. While she was in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, her parents stayed in the Ronald McDonald Family Room just down the hall so they could stay close to her.
After Alyssa’s discharge, she had doctors’ appointments and extensive therapies every day. Since she and her family lived about an hour away, they were able to stay at the Ronald McDonald House across the street from the hospital. Because of everything the Ronald McDonald Charities had done for her and her family, she was determined to ‘give back’ to the charity.
“While serving as a volunteer at the Ronald McDonald House, one of the things most important to Alyssa was collecting pop tabs and loose keys to recycle,” Amy said. “The proceeds from recycling these items helped pay the bills at the Ronald McDonald House. Alyssa then began conducting presentations at local schools promoting the collection of pop tabs and loose keys for the Ronald McDonald House.”
Alyssa found joy in helping in an area where she was once a patient. She knew all the physical and occupational therapists had a part in helping her get her life back.
“They taught her to use her hands again to write, eat, text and of course dribble the basketball,” Amy said. “She had to relearn how to walk, jump, run and regain her strength. The summer of 2014, Alyssa volunteered in the Critical Care Transport Department Children’s Mercy. She wanted to learn everything there was to learn about the department and give back to those who once saved her life.”
She decided after her recovery that she wanted to become a critical care transport nurse. She began taking college courses at Kansas City Kansas Community College, and began going on college visits. She made the decision to attend Missouri Western State University, where she received her CNA license and began working at a senior living center.
Alyssa passed away unexpectedly at the age of 16, on Nov. 10, 2014. In her memory, in March 2016, Remembering Alyssa, Inc., a 501(c)(3) public charity was approved, focusing on raising money to empower youth and adults to make a difference through education, make a hospital experience more comfortable for children, keep families with hospitalized children close to each other, give hope through clean water to those in Uganda, and strengthen the community by building relationships and supporting those in need.
In June, 2015, the McLouth ATV Poker Run was canceled due to reasons beyond their control. In memory of Alyssa and her love of the first McLouth ATV Poker Run she attended, her parents, Marcus and Amy Hutchens began an annual ATV ride to celebrate her life and make an impact through giving. The 5th Annual Alyssa’s Ride, an ATV/UTV Poker Run, (non-operational the last two years due to COVID-19), is being held Saturday, June 11, starting in Easton (Kansas) City Park, 31451 231st St. The ride is an opportunity for people of all ages to come together for a day of fun and fond memories of Alyssa. The event will be a 55-mile ride. A meal will be provided with registration, there will be raffles and prizes, and event T-shirts will be available.
The cost is $20/driver, $10/passenger and $10/each additional hand. Registration is at 9 a.m. and the ride begins at 11 a.m. The ride route is approximately 55 miles of country roads in Leavenworth, Jefferson, and Atchison counties. There will be five poker stops along the route.
One-hundred percent of all proceeds benefit Alyssa’s favorite charities which include A Chance to Save a Life and Alyssa Lane Hutchens Family Memorial Scholarship at Pleasant Ridge High School which Alyssa attended; the “Alyssa Lane Hutchens Critical Care Transport Scholarship” at Children’s Mercy where Alyssa served as a volunteer in Critical Care Transport with intentions of becoming a Critical Care Life Flight Nurse; Hoops for Happiness at Children’s Mercy to provide 100 Nerf basketball hoops quarterly to patients to enjoy while they are hospitalized, because Alyssa loved basketball and this was her favorite thing to do while confined to her hospital bed; sports equipment for Physical/Occupational Therapy at Children’s Mercy where Alyssa served as a volunteer in Physical Therapy as well as a patient who enjoyed sports equipment as her daily therapy while hospitalized; support for Ronald McDonald House in Kansas City where Alyssa served as a volunteer and holds a bedroom in the new Wylie House in her memory; Catholic Charities-Leavenworth Emergency Assistance Center where Alyssa also served as a volunteer and provided donations; and Easton USD 449 for student support where Alyssa attended school.
Amy believes the ride is an opportunity for people from all over to come together for a day of fun and fond memories of Alyssa.
“We welcome anyone and everyone with an ATV, UTV, Jeep or dirt bike to take part in our event. Even if you don’t ride, you can still help the cause by volunteering, becoming a sponsor, or donating to help continue the important work of helping those who are in need. Sponsors and donations can be done on our website at rememberingalyssa.live. Pre-registration for the event along with T-shirts are also available on our website. The organization greatly appreciates your involvement and participation to help make this charity ride a successful event. Every gift counts and you make a tremendous difference.”
“In four years, we have raised a total of $41,415 for Alyssa’s favorite charities,” Amy said. “The outpouring of support we receive for Alyssa’s Ride is unbelievable. We have people travel from out of state for this one day event to raise money in memory of our daughter, who they never knew, for her favorite charities. She would be absolutely amazed at the number of people who attend this event in her memory who have a love for riding just like she did. She would also love the ‘water and mud trails’ her dad always incorporates in the ride route!”
For more information go to FACEBOOK/Remembering Alyssa or www.rememb eringalyssa.live
Event coordinators: Marcus Hutchens, 913-306-5592 and Amy Hutchens, 913-547-1168 or rememberingalyssainc@gmail.com