We are pleased to announce our first of two beneficiaries of this year's golf tournament: Sheila Uhl
Sheila was born 1965 as the youngest of 4 “Irish quadruplets” to two proud parents, both civil servants in the town of Greenwich. Her father (aka “the Chief”) was a police officer who rose quickly through the ranks to become Chief of Police. Her mother was a well respected and much loved nurse at the Greenwich Hospital who eventually headed and then ultimately bought and ran the hospital’s private nursing service. Sheila and her siblings tracked through the Greenwich public school system, back in the day when Steve Young was roaming the hallways, each leaving their own notable legacy in their wake. Sheila was an exceptional student, a cheerleader, a leader, and then an Oklahoma Sooner. How that happened – we’re not sure but there she was on Rout 80 on her way. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (among other proficiencies). Degree in hand, Sheila made her way for home, and then eventually made her way to VP of Marketing at 9West. Sheila branched out from there into several other areas that earned her the credentials to eventually land her a position with, of all places – KPMG (a big 4 accounting firm). They were looking for someone to turn the place upside down in the marketing department (and that’s what they got!). Sheila showed them what Marketing was all about, helping to construct the new campaign and re-invent the entire approach to acquiring business. Sheila traveled the country the past few years teaching accountants to be sales people.
Sheila is the mother to 2 awesome children – Jackson (8) and Sadie (6), each who fortunately carry their mother’s personality traits – smart, witty, and beautiful inside and out. She is known by name from the town hall meetings to the local delis. Despite having a demanding job which took her to the dusty roads of Anchorage and ho-hum streets of Indiana, she always found time to be integral with the children’s school, her friends and her family. She is always the center of the party, telling jokes that no one dare to tell and that no one has the means to deliver as effectively. She is also the one that all would nominate to stand up to the “bully” and fight whatever fight.
In the early hours of December 26th Sheila wound up fighting an unfathomable foe – s stroke. One that would turn out to change her and her family’s course in life. A clot had struck an area of her brain that controls all movement rendering her completely paralyzed. The head of neurology at which she was being cared for (one of the country’s renowned facilities) had given her family little hope for survival let alone recovery. Despite the bleak odds, Sheila’s family decided there was only one option – to let Sheila fight the way they knew she would want to. Within 17 days Sheila was being transferred to Gaylord Hospital to carry out her battle in rehabilitation and to prove all the doctors and medical books wrong. Since then she has fought - 8 grueling hours each day – to regain what we all take for granted: the simple ability to breathe, walk, talk and live. Each day she has exemplified what it means to never give up no matter what the odds! Her and her family want to keep this fight going and hope there are others that want to help her keep fighting so she can once again rejoin her children in their lives as she once did.
We hope you will join us in supporting Sheila and her family at this year's golf tournament and/or celebration dinner. If you are unable to attend, we are pleased to accept any donation you may be able to make.
Thank you,
The Allyson Rioux Memorial Foundation
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