FREDONIA, N.Y. (WKBW) — Friends near and far came to show support for Mackenzie “Kenzie” Michalski and her family.
The Fredonia community held a candlelight vigil Saturday night, at Barker Commons, after her life was cut short . “Offering peace, love and comfort and extending that to one another,” Rev. Joanne Copley-Nigro shared with me.
Reverend Joanne Copley-Nigro, a friend of Kenzie’s parents, blessed the vigil. Also, a friend of Kenzie’s parents, Melissa Pietrkiewicz, organized it within a day. Kenzie grew up in Fredonia and graduated from Fredonia High School.
While she hasn’t lived in Western New York for about three years now, Pietrkiewicz hoped the community continues to remember the hometown girl as the compassionate person everyone describes her as. “She was funny, and she was empathetic, and she cared very deeply for people which is difficult to do in the world that we live in today,” she said. “One of the things that stood out to me was that she appreciated the present.
I think that gets lost on us a lot nowadays and that is such a beautiful piece of her personality.” A social worker herself, Pietrkiewicz, organized counseling experts to be available at the vigil for those who are struggling with this loss. “Sometimes people need to be in the presence of other people who are grieving to be given permission to share their feelings.
There are resources on the table over there that people can feel free to grab and take with them so that, if .
