PAOLA, Kan. – The town of Paola is coming together to remember one of their own. Stephanie Knecht, 37, was on a boat that crashed at the Lake of the Ozarks over the Labor Day weekend. She died from her injuries Wednesday.
Stephanie was a wife and a proud mother of two. One of her kids sat down with FOX 4 as she spoke with pride about her mom.
“It just makes me think of her,” Jordyn Knecht, 12, said, about the t-shirt she was wearing that says “Making People Smile”. It’s from her mom’s closet and represents everything she stood for, Jordyn said.
“Just how caring she was. Loving and just beautiful. Her smile literally left a mark on everybody.”
And it’s that smile, that hundreds of people are now missing. Stephanie Knecht was on a boat with close friends and her husband, when it crashed off shore Sunday.
Stephanie and three others were airlifted to the hospital but days later she lost her fight and Jordyn had to say goodbye to her mom.
“She’s just always there. I’m not gonna have that every day.”
News of Stephanie’s passing spread quickly through her hometown of Paola. Within a matter of two days, people living there raised $20,000 to cover medical costs and hundreds showed up to honor her during a vigil.
“Speechless. Seeing how many people were there for my mom. For my family. That makes my heart happy,” Jordyn said.
And although Jordyn feels the type of pain that is indescribable, she has found comfort in the fact one of her mom’s dreams has been achieved. Stephanie donated all of her organs.
“I know she’s always wanted to be a hero to someone. She’s always been my hero too. She’s a lot of other people’s heroes.”
Physically, Jordyn knows her mom is gone but it’s Stephanie’s memory and giving spirit that she and many others will have forever.
“Even though she’s not here physically she’s all around me. I know she’s always gonna be here. Here. And here.”
The boat operator, Ryan Johnson was arrested for boating while intoxicated. He has not been formally charged pending lab results to determine his blood alcohol level. Stephanie’s family says this was a tragic accident and says Johnson was and will always be a part of their family. They say they are asking the community to pray for him as well.
For more about Stephanie and how you can help click here: http://www.gofundme.com/knechtlovefund
