With an unwavering faith and resolute belief in God’s promises, Sean Hammack wanted to know what good God would bring from the rare cancer that eventually took his life.
It would be nearly impossible to quantify the ripples of good that continue now 10 years after his death. Only God would know. Sean’s parents, John and Anne Hammack, are responsible for wave after wave of good as they honor his life and legacy.
“We will keep going as long as we are able,” Anne said. “We like to do what we can to help anybody in need. Whatever is needed, we try to help.”
It’s difficult to catalog the ways the Hammack’s generosity has poured into the community. It’s not a singular big thing, it’s a million things seen and unseen. They’ve partnered with the Marshall Health Network Foundation for events like Path to the Cure and Artisan Express among others. Through the years, they’ve sponsored rooms, helped support groups, adopted seats, been involved with Relay for Life, and this year started a scholarship in Sean’s name for seniors at Huntington St. Joseph Central Catholic, where he graduated high school. Helping is a way of life.
“We’ve tried to just help with awareness as much as anything,” John said. “People don’t think about what it means to be accessible. We took Sean to a resort to watch a tennis event. They said it was accessible, but it was down a steep hill and really wasn’t very accessible. We can make people’s lives so much better by making them less complicated when they’re struggling. That’s just what we try to do.”
Though happy and willing to help anywhere, the Hammacks have a special heart for young adults who are no longer kids but aren’t yet old enough to have the best insurance, the most savings, or the right support around them. They strive to help those needs get met. Sometimes it’s through education, sometimes money, sometimes presence, but always with a servant’s heart to help make lives better.
It’s who Sean was, too. He made the most of his 27 years and kept a smile despite his challenges. Sean was Someone who battled through many surgeries and treatments and still managed to attend college at Notre Dame for a couple of semesters and was awarded a degree posthumously. He loved soccer, tennis, and swimming and was passionate about living out his Christian faith.
Sean saw God at work in the beauty of a sunset and in the people that he helped support by reminding them they weren’t alone. He led people back to church. A decade later, his community still gets to see God at work through Sean’s life and in the efforts of his parents.
“We just try to see God’s face in everyone,” Anne said. “It’s just so much easier to be kind.” John added that everyone has struggles, and everyone can help in some way. “Start small,” he said. “Buy a dinner for someone. Make a little difference and build on that.”
