A Bench for Kenzie

Around 20 people gathered at Western Peaks Elementary School and many more joined in online via Facebook in October 2021 to celebrate the installation of a bench in front of the school. This was more than just a bench though, it was installed in remembrance of Mackenzie “Kenzie” Hancock, a student at the school who sadly passed away from a brain tumor in February of 2020. “The bench was a reflection of who Kenzie was, how she cared about her friends, and cared about people she didn’t even know,” shared Kenzie’s mother, Elizabeth Hancock. “She was such a funny kid, loved her friends, and always wanted her friends to be happy even if it was at her own expense.”

“She loved to learn about the world around her and invent ways to make everyone’s life easier,” shared Douglas Hancock, Kenzie’s father.

This was actually the second buddy bench installed at the school, and Kenzie was instrumental in raising funds to purchase the first one. The idea of the bench is simple - if a child feels lonely, they can go to the bench as a signal that they need someone to play with. Another child will see them, go and talk to them and include them. Kenzie loved the idea as she was shy and sometimes making friends was a challenge. The fact that there was a way to silently ask for a friend was what she loved about the bench the most.

Western Peaks Elementary School hosted a fundraising effort for the first bench in which students sold cookies, soups, and cookery during the 2018-2019 school year. It was a group effort as Kenzie reached out to neighbors, friends and family to sell the baked goods.

When Kenzie learned of the prize for the top seller, a giant folding camping chair, she became even more excited to raise funds for the bench. As a family of six, including Kenzie’s parents, two older sisters; Rachelle and Brianna, and Tallin, Brianna’s husband, camping was one of Kenzie’s favorite things to do as a family. They would often head up north to the Arcadia campsite at Mount Graham in Northeastern Arizona. The Hancock Family would pack up the tents and drive the switchbacks on a single, main road. Kenzie’s dad would cook a big breakfast each morning in a large cast iron skillet as the family enjoyed the outdoors and time together. The area is quiet with many hiking trails, a waterfall, and was close to Kenzie’s grandparents who live in Safford. Kenzie would often be found sitting quietly on a flat rock that overlooks the area looking at the clouds, watching the birds and soaking in the nature around her.

Kenzie snuggles up to her pet bunny, Sam.

She met her goal and Kenzie ended up being the top seller for the buddy bench fundraiser and she won the coveted, oversized lawn chair which she took with her on her last family camping trip. The school was able to purchase the initial buddy bench for the Western Peaks playground.

“Once she got the chair, it was put up in the living room for a while because that was her chair, and she was going to sit there every chance she got. I can remember her saying, ‘Mom, it (lawn chair) holds six sodas!’. And I said ‘that’s so cool kid, it will hold one for the whole family’,” shared her mom.”

When the school received the first buddy bench, her mom remembered Kenzie telling her about it being on the playground and how happy she was that there is a new way for friends to meet. “She had so much happiness come from the fundraiser,’’ shared Elizabeth.

Kenzie was always thinking of ways to make others happy. She was shy but her kindness often broke the ice as she made many friends at Western Peaks including Aryanna Quintero and Mary Hester.

“When I say unique, I’ve never met anyone like her,” said Aryanna. “She was reserved yet bubbly. Kenzie was selfless, she made sure everyone was doing fine and always looking out for others.”

Kenzie, a foodie like her mother, loved being in the kitchen making meals for the family and trying out new recipes with her friends. She especially loved sweets and baking cookies. Mary Hester recalled a specific instance when the girls were making cookie dough.

“I love raw cookie dough and would eat the batter right off the spoon,’’ shared Mary. “Knowing this, Kenzie found a recipe without eggs because she was so concerned about my health and me possibly getting sick. She would have this on hand any time she knew I was coming over.”

Kenzie Hancock and her older sisters Brianna and Rachelle take a selfie together on the trampoline in the family’s backyard in 2016.

Kenzie and her sister Rachelle, would spend the evenings in either one of the girls’ rooms making up stories to see if they could come up with something new. They’d have big sleep overs and take turns telling scary or silly stories and they would always try to outdo each other. The girls would collaborate on stories and jot their ideas down for the family to read.

In addition to baking and writing, Kenzie loved crafts. Some of her favorites shows were Five Minute Craftsand How It’s Made. “We all tried to do different arts and crafts projects but I think Kenzie was the one who was the most passionate and committed to do crafts,” shared her sister Brianna. “She’d always try to make crafts out of just about anything she could find. For instance, while going out to dinner together, she would use the little piece of paper that would be wrapped around the silverware to hold it together. Kenzie would fold it in half and create some kind of little animal like a frog or panda and we’d all receive little hand colored and drawn animals.”

In 2015 and at the tender age of nine years old, Kenzie was diagnosed with a brain tumor. She had surgery and radiation, and the tumor remained inactive for four years. In 2019, the brain tumor came back with a fury. Kenzie fought for ten months in the hospital during her second battle.

“Even while Kenzie was going through her fight, she never stopped thinking of ways to help others out,” shared Douglas. She would entertain the nurses and dance in her hospital bed when her favorite song came on.

All the nurses loved her and would flock to her room when they knew she was on their floor.

“She was the strongest person I know,” shared Elizabeth. “She went through so much, the fact that she carried that burden on her own, makes me proud how strong she was.” Even in the months of her fight, Kenzie would talk about all the things she still wanted to do to help others, a testament to her heart and strength. “One of those things we discussed was how we could help, what I call ‘littles’, to make friends easier so they are not alone,” said Elizabeth. This turned out to be one of her lasting gifts of kindness.

After Kenzie’s passing both parents took every painstaking detail into consideration when designing the bench which was produced by Keystone.

The bench itself includes an aquamarine ocean scene including a sea turtle. The ocean stood for two reasons. First, it represented Kenzie’s love of animals, sea creatures, the ocean, and her dream to become a marine biologist. The second meaning behind the sea and turtle references a scene in the Disney classic, Finding Nemo, one of Kenzie’s favorite movies. When the family was on vacation or in an unfamiliar place, Mom would often ask, “Do you have your exit buddy?”. This was a key scene in the movie where characters Marlin and Dory find themselves in the East Australian Current with a group of sea turtles, named Crush and Squirt. The turtles instruct the two fish on how to exit the current safely as they continue their quest to find Nemo. Crush asks the phrasedo you have your exit buddy? Kenzie would cling to her Mom as she said the phrase just like Marlin and Dory did in the movie.

Attached to the top of the bench includes a plaque. A beautiful photo of Kenzie adorns the left side of the plaque. The photo was a candid moment caught by a photographer during family photos when Kenzie was standing off to the side by herself just looking at the sky.

“The photo made her seem so much more grown up then we had seen her in previous years,’’ shared Elizabeth.

A quote by A.A. Milne is included on the plaque: If there ever comes a day when we can’t be together, keep me in your heart, I’ll stay there forever.

“That quote conveyed my feelings at the time,” shared Elizabeth.

A small kangaroo was engraved on the plaque to represent her beloved stuffed animal, Kangaroo that was always with her. The dandelion on the plaque is the official flower of the military child because they can float away and plant anywhere and thrive. Kenzie’s father and several other family members served in the military.

Kenzie in her oversized lawn chair that she won as the top seller at Western Peak’s buddy bench fundraiser.

“We thought that this bench was the best way to honor that time in her life that she was at the school with the thing that she took the most pride in while she was there. And I’d like to think that she (Kenzie) is here with us.”

“We decided together to place it outside of the school, so that her family and friends, who are all in high school now, could come by and sit on the bench whenever they wanted to feel close to her,” shared Stacie Brown, Western Peaks Principal.

“It is in such a perfect place. That is the beauty of the location- anyone can come and enjoy it,” shared Douglas, Kenzie’s father.

“When it was unveiled, I burst into tears instantly. How much the bench represented her got to me from the ocean to how much they were able to get into one bench,” shared Aryanna.

Kenzie’s mother and father felt this was a small way they could continue with one of her final wishes to help the ‘littles’ make friends when they might be shy and not know exactly how to make a friend. “I think she would be happy but embarrassed that her picture is on it,” shared Kenzie’s mom during the bench dedication.”

February 15, 2022 marked the twoyear remembrance of Mackenzie’s passing. Friends and family joined in to release paper lanterns and paper wishes that evening at 7:11 p.m. to mark her passing and honor Kenzie.

“I plan to visit the bench because I am hopeful that it is doing what it is intended to do. Kenzie would take people in, she was the most loving person who wanted everyone to feel happy,” said Mary.

“I feel like with this bench, you can sit down and know someone is already there with you, ready to be your friend. Kenzie will always be with us in our hearts and our memories. Let’s keep her memory alive by being the friend that comes to sit on the bench,” shared Elizabeth Hancock.

A bench to gather for old friends, a bench to make new friends, a bench to remember, a bench for Kenzie.

Kenzie and her mother, Elizabeth Hancock take a close-up snapshot while watching a movie together.