Before connecting with Prairie Hill, White was highly involved in a non-profit foundation, The Kyrie Foundation. The Kyrie Foundation was created in 2007 in memory of 19-month-old, Kyrie Thome. At just 17 months old, Kyrie was diagnosed with Pediatric Brain Cancer. Kyrie passed a few months after being diagnosed and the foundation was created.

He started volunteering in 2009. He planned his first event, The Kyrie Foundation Family Fun Run, in 2014 during his junior year of high school. He has now raised $85,000 for Pediatric Brain Cancer through organizing the 5K’s and many other events. 

His favorite tradition with the Kyrie foundation is the annual Easter and Christmas hospital visits to the pediatric center in Wesley. These hospital visits started when a generous family that was close to Kyrie wanted to visit her on Easter of 2007. The visiting family bagged up some goodies in trash bags to take to Kyrie. As they were gathering their items, Kyrie was released from the hospital to go to her home for comfort care on her last days of life. 

Even with Kyrie’s absence, the family still decided to distribute the gifts to other sick kids. A trash bag of toys from 2007 has now turned into several truckloads of toys, gift cards, and cash for the kids on the pediatric floor of Wesley for Christmas and Easter.

In 2015, White took over the hospital visits. The foundation now gives each kid a pillowcase full of toys, coloring books, and a stuffed animal. For the parents, they have a parent pack with several gift cards and a story on why they come to the hospital. 

“I’m honored that we have kept Kyrie’s memory alive and used her story to help change people’s lives. Personally, one of my favorite things about being a part of the foundation is that we get to put a smile on people’s faces and change their day just by being kind. Walking into each hospital room, we truly don’t know the story of each patient and their families,” White said. “Their diagnosis could range from the flu, being injured by a family member, broken bones, or even in the last days of their time here on earth.”

As of now, White doesn’t know what the future looks like for the Kyrie foundation fundraisers, but the foundation will continue to visit Wesley each Easter and Christmas.

“For just a few moments, we get to interact and see a hint of joy on their faces. We see excitement. We see happiness. This is why we do hospital trips. Nothing can compare to that joy we have the privilege of witnessing,” White said.