One of the highlights growing up? Easy - high school graduation. A stepping stone to a bright future. Your family ready to embrace you as that special day comes to an end. It's all part of a huge picture book filled with wonderful moments and accomplished goals. Unfortunately for 18-year-old Michael Fenner, his bright future was cut down May 20th - a 16-year-old struck and killed the senior, then sped away, only to turn himself in shortly after. Devastating for both families. Michael was days away from graduating from Minot high when his life was taken. A sudden loss is hard for everyone to take. The senior class was rocked, one of their own not able to follow in everyone's footsteps graduation day. At the North Dakota State Fairgrounds, a special tribute took place when his name was called, the crowd in the stands gave him an emotional minute-long standing ovation.

What to do when the shock eventually subsides, and the family needs to make arrangements for a proper burial? It's such a traumatic experience when the realization sets in, that a bright young man with his whole world ahead of him will no longer be at the dinner table. When it's so easy to take life for granted, just one fatal second destroys so many souls. Minot's Papa John's - a wonderful local pizza place, held a fundraiser last night,  their goal to donate 100% of their profits made all-day yesterday to Fenner's family, to help out with any expenses towards a funeral or anything else needed.

What a great example of playing a positive role in the community - even through these tough economic times, Papa John's doing their part to ease the pain of a family in mourning, an amazing gesture of goodwill that deserves to be recognized. For more on this story click here.

 

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