Katy Deenihan feature
February 11, 2016
Katy Deenihan, a 2014-2015 graduate from South, has participated in mission trips since she was 14 years old and has implemented other random acts of kindness into her daily life.
“I found out about New Life for Haiti when I was thirteen and I remember feeling so inspired by it,” Deenihan said.
Over the years, the New Life for Haiti Organization built several schools, rebuilt homes, and helped farmers seed the soil after hurricane flooding and the 2010 earthquake. Deenihan said that once she discovered the mission trips, it was a dream of hers to attend.
“When I went to Haiti, I thought I was going to help them and change their lives, but little did I know I’d be the one [who] changed,” Deenihan said, in regards to her first mission trip.
“Haitians are some of the friendliest, most loving people I’ve ever encountered,” Deenihan said.
Although Deenihan affects the lives of Haitians, she also greatly affects the lives of people close to home.
“Katy has impacted my life in so many ways,” said Eduardo Avila, senior at South. “I’ve grown to be a more loving person and appreciate the world around me.”
“She has impacted my life in so many ways but I think one of the main ones would be appreciation; appreciation of people, places, and things,” Lizette Herrera said, 2015 graduate and best friend of Deenihan.
Deenihan doesn’t just focus on her close friends and family, but does random acts of kindness (RAK) for complete strangers.
“Once a month I’ll collect a few things for several people, sometimes it’ll be a strangers house, sometimes a friends, or even someone I barely know but happen to know where they live, to drop off in their mailbox or door and hopefully surprise them with happiness,” explains Deenihan.
“The goal with this is to make people feel loved and important. Appreciation and love is definitely something our generation has lost the meaning of, so I try to keep it alive,” Deenihan said.
“She does these selfless acts to demonstrate the power of love. She knows love and wants to share this love. A truly selfless and giving act without manipulative intentions and for the purpose of pure love defines Katy,” said Colleen Deenihan, Katy’s mom.