Ohio Family Honors Daughter Through Kindness Foundation

An Ohio family is transforming unimaginable grief into a mission centered on compassion, connection, and kindness after the loss of their 8-year-old daughter.

In Avon Lake, the family of Delaney Kilbane has launched the Live Like Delaney Foundation to continue spreading the message that defined the young girl’s life:

Every person deserves to feel seen, valued, and loved.

A Child Who Made Others Feel Seen

According to her family, Delaney possessed a rare ability to recognize when someone needed encouragement.

Diagnosed with epilepsy as an infant, she developed a deep empathy for others from an early age.

Her mother, Megan Kilbane, described Delaney as someone who naturally gravitated toward lonely classmates, struggling strangers, and anyone who needed kindness.

“You could just see Christ in her eyes,” Megan said.

One story shared during Delaney’s funeral has especially resonated throughout the community.

While shopping at a grocery store, Delaney approached a woman who appeared to be struggling and simply told her she was beautiful.

The woman reportedly broke down crying, explaining that no one had spoken to her in months.

According to Delaney’s mother, the interaction changed the trajectory of that woman’s life.

Turning Tragedy Into Purpose

In February 2026, Delaney died after suffering a severe epileptic seizure.

In the weeks that followed, Megan Kilbane said she felt determined not to let her daughter’s light disappear.

That determination led to the creation of the Live Like Delaney Foundation and its “You Are Beautiful” campaign.

With help from Lamar billboards, bright pink signs carrying the message “You are beautiful, love Delaney” now appear throughout the area.

The goal, Megan says, is simple:

Remind people to slow down and recognize the beauty in one another.

Building a Culture of Kindness

The foundation is also launching several community initiatives in Delaney’s honor, including:

• kindness scholarships for students known for helping others
• donation drives supporting food banks and foster children
• outreach projects in underserved communities

One of the organization’s centerpiece efforts is a “Kindness Kit Curriculum” designed for students.

Created by Megan, a teacher herself, the program features a 12-day kindness challenge encouraging children to complete intentional acts of compassion each day.

The curriculum has already launched at multiple Catholic schools, including St. Joseph School, where Delaney attended classes.

‘Live Like Delaney’

For Megan Kilbane, the foundation has become both a tribute to her daughter and a pathway through grief.

She hopes Delaney’s story inspires both children and adults to recognize the power of small, intentional acts of kindness.

“You do have the power in your hands to make a difference,” she said.

And through scholarships, classrooms, billboards, and community outreach, Delaney’s message continues reaching people far beyond the Ohio town where her kindness first began.