Laura Faye Barefoot Memorial Fund

This Memorial Fund is in honor of Laura Faye Barefoot, my Granny. It was the last thing she made me promise to do before she passed away. That was Granny, always thinking about others first, even with her last breaths. Her favorite Bible Verse was James 4:2 "You have not because you ask not." So this is me, Coach Lee, keeping my promise and asking on behalf of Granny. 

The Laura Faye Barefoot Memorial Fund will go directly to help underprivileged girls through the Lucha Wrestling Club, a nonprofit organization building a pathway out of poverty and into college for young ladies dealing with struggles no one should face. "Granny", as she was known by most, absolutely fell in love with the girls from the Lucha wrestling team on her first visit to New York City. Similar to some of the wrestlers, Granny saw her share of struggles. She knew what it was like to do without, to be looked down upon, and how important it was to have a place to belong. For her, that place was the church. If she’d been born in a different time, her 2nd place would have been the wrestling mat. Short, stocky, hardworking, and tough as nails, that’s a coach’s dream athlete. After all, we’re talking about a lady who wrestled with and beat cancer, heart disease, and spinal meningitis (TWICE!), among other things. In fact, the only time we know of Granny being taken down was by a rogue blueberry bush, where her youngest grandson William found her tangled up one morning calling out for his help. William helped her up and she went right back to working in the garden. 

Despite never having an extra dollar herself, Granny ALWAYS looked out for those who had less. When she called me over to the bed Hospice had just set up in her living room and told me she didn’t want people to send flowers to her funeral. Confused, I asked her why, because Granny LOVED flowers. She smiled and told me she wanted a memorial fund set up  in her name, with all of the proceeds going to “the wrasslin’ girls”, which is how she always described them. It broke my heart, and the tears I’d been holding back came pouring down. 

Here lay a woman who, for 25 years after her husband died, lived on a few hundred dollars a month and food stamps, and all she wanted to do was help out the young ladies in our club. 

Lucha Wrestling Club provides a place to call "home" for young ladies who are struggling with food insecurity and other challenges, including homelessness, using sports to provide a pathway out of poverty and into college. 

So whether your support this cause or another one, Granny would be happy you’re lending a hand to someone who needs it. Imagine a world where we all acted a little more like Granny. 

RIP Granny. You will be dearly missed.