Local family sets up foundation in daughter's name after flu death
Photographer: WXYZ
Copyright 2013 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Posted: 01/15/2013
WEST BLOOMFIELD, Mich (WXYZ) - "She was a ball of energy, she lit up a room," says Zachary Yaksich when talking about his 5-year-old daughter who died from the flu almost 10 years ago.
"Next thing I knew the doctor told me there was nothing they could do, the flu went to her brain," and Zach says he and his wife were devastated and shocked --never thinking the flu could take their little girl's life.
At first, they reached out to other families who suffered a similar loss, it is an organization called Families Fighting the Flu but in 2009 they created Alana's Foundation in memory of their daughter.
"Our mission is to educate people about the importance of getting flu shots for children and adults and to let people know how to prevent the flu."
The organization also has people going out to neighborhoods and shelters with clinics for flu shots and money to help people who are not insured to get them.
Zachary says they think about Alana every day, but hope and pray and believe they are making a difference and saving lives.
To find out more about the organization you can go to the website info@alanasfoundation.org or www.alanasfoundation.org
Copyright 2013 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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