Molly's Story
Mary Elizabeth (Molly) Banzhoff was born on April 1st, 2003 and died May 7th 2016 of an undiagnosed brain tumor. An old soul from the moment she arrived Molly spent her life curious about everything. In her 13 years and 1 month on earth Molly managed to stand out in everything she did. She was known among her peers as someone who helped everyone and worked hard to make sure life was fair for everyone and that no one was left out. Molly's greatest relationship was with her sister Gracie. The two of them were like one and did everything together. Gracie misses Molly the most.
Over 600 people came to the hospital to say good bye to Molly over the 5 days she was on life support and her memorial service “MollyB The Musical” filled a 1300 seat theater. Her death shook the school, dance, and theater communities and devastated her family. Life for those who knew her is irreparably changed.
Soon after her death the MollyB Scholarship Fund was established and fundraising efforts provided scholarships for children to dance and theater activities. As time has passed The MollyB Foundation was established and Molly’s ability to help others has increased.
The MollyB Foundation sponsors RB Productions Theater Company, provides tee-shirts and camp scholarships for youth theater, buys musical instruments for local schools, provides scholarships to graduating seniors and gives The Spirit of MollyB Award at her elementary and middle school each spring. MollyB Monday, which occurs the second Monday in May, is a day where folks wear pink and perform random acts of kindness in honor of Molly. In the future the MollyB Foundation hopes to create a protocol that will ensure proper medical treatment for girls and women suffering from illnesses and conditions that are often misdiagnosed or misunderstood.