VERMILLION, S.D. (KELO) — Jim and Jenny Orr knew they wanted to start a family. After multiple rounds of IVF, the Orrs decided to look into adoption.
“When the birth mother chose us, we just kind of knew that this was who was supposed to come into our lives to make our family,” Jenny Orr said.
That person was their daughter, Kelcy.
“On April 22nd, 2008, we had a telephone call in the morning saying that Kelcy was being delivered in Jacksonville, Florida. And we got on an airplane right away and flew down there and we held our baby girl at 7:00 at night,” Kelcy’s mom Jenny said.
When she was born, Kelcy tested positive for cocaine, but that didn’t change the overflowing amount of love her parents had for her.
“We knew that down the road there may be issues, but we didn’t care. You know, we saw her, and we knew that she’s special,” Kelcy’s dad Jim Orr said.
Growing up, their daughter loved her pets. She loved sunsets and flowers.
“Everywhere we went, up until six or seven, she saw a flower, she had to stop and smell it,” Jim said.
She also found an early love of sports, including running and gymnastics. Whether it was at a competition or in her backyard, Kelcy was always in motion.
“When we brought her home on May 2nd, this was her home,” Jim said.
For Kelcy, home was more than just a house with her parents. It was also at the Vermillion High School track where she excelled in the 100 and 200 meter dashes.
“I never really missed an event that she was in. But it was just so much fun to watch her fly across that track,” Jim said.
Now their home looks a little different. On December 23rd, 2023, just two days before her family would celebrate Christmas, Kelcy went to bed and never woke up. She was 15 years old.
“That night, I was sitting downstairs, and I got my hug, and I got an ‘I love you,’ Jim said. “Then I said I was going to bed. That’s the last time I talked to her.”
Fentanyl poisoning took more than Kelcy’s life that night. It took the hearts of her parents.
“I was actually heading out to go finish up Christmas shopping and I found her unresponsive on her bed in her room,” Jenny said.
There were no more track meets, no more backflips on the trampoline, not even one last stop to smell the flowers. All because of one pill.
“I’m just so fortunate that I got that hug. So, I guess if I can say to any parent out there, try to hug your kids before they go to bed because when you wake up, they may not,” Jim said.
The Orrs say every day is now a roller-coaster of emotions. But community resources are helping.
“Emily’s Hope has been basically a lifesaver,” Jim said. “We’re fortunate enough to be in the support group and a big thing that comes away for me is that all the feelings that I have dealing with the loss, everybody else in the room has the same feelings.”
Bringing awareness to an important topic isn’t always easy. But Kelcy’s parents said they don’t want any other family to go through what they did.
“I think we have to get real stories because pushing a PowerPoint or pushing a yes-no button is not going to bring the point up or the reality to our kids as much as somebody telling their story that says, hey, this is what happens. One pill can kill,” Jenny said.
“She was special. She had a laugh that was contagious. She was just everything,” Jim said.
While nothing can bring Kelcy back, her light continues to shine every day as her parents work to raise awareness about fentanyl poisoning and save the lives and hearts of others.
Kelcy’s parents have also started a scholarship fund in honor of their daughter that provides running shoes for student-athletes in middle and high school.
