Until These Walls Are No Longer Necessary
As Will’s mom, there are moments in this journey that are incredibly difficult to put into words. Knowing my son’s name and face are on the CureFest Tribute Wall is one of them. Some names are written on our hearts forever. I would give anything for Will’s name not to be on a Tribute Wall. I would give anything for a world where a child’s name ever had to be placed on a wall like this.
But as long as these walls are necessary, their names deserve to be seen. Their stories deserve to be told. Their lives deserve to be remembered. Every face on that wall is someone’s child. Every name represents a life loved beyond measure, a family forever changed, and a future that should have been.
The Will Carpenter AYA Cancer Foundation exists because of Will. It was built from our love for him, our grief, and a promise that his story would continue to mean something in the lives of others. Our mission is to stand beside adolescents and young adults facing cancer, help bridge the gaps they too often fall through, fund research that can change outcomes, and create meaningful experiences that give families something cancer cannot take away and having meaningful experiences that bring peace during treatment.
We say Will’s name because he was here. We tell his story because his life mattered. We do this work because there are still children and young adults fighting for the futures they deserve. Will believed in living fully, loving deeply, and making every moment count. That is the heart behind everything we do.
His story did not end when we lost him. His love, courage, and legacy live in every wish granted, every Fishing for Hope experience, every research effort we support, and every family we have the privilege of walking beside. I carry Will with me every day. I will keep saying his name, telling his story, and carrying his legacy forward for the rest of my life.
Until the day these walls are no longer necessary, we will remember the names written on them, honor the lives behind them, and keep fighting for those still writing their stories.
Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way.
Forever my Will. Always my why.
Ashleigh Pitzer
Will’s Mom
Founder, Will Carpenter AYA Cancer Foundation
