Lexington, KY - When the terrible news reached Jenny Hinkle that one of her closest friends, Roy Stout, had been struck and killed by a car while on vacation in Jamaica, and that his longtime girlfriend, Cheryl Gillenwater, was also severely injured in the incident, Hinkle quickly pooled her resources to try to get to Negril, where Gillenwater was lying in limbo in a Jamaican hospital.
"They take her away in an ambulance, and she's got nothing," Hinkle said. "No phone, no purse, no nothing. And they didn't know if she had insurance or anything, so they just left her in a hallway. ... I was going to go down there to at least be an advocate for her."
After speaking with the police and hospital officials in Negril, however, Hinkle learned that Gillenwater was going to be transported to UK Hospital via Medevac -
a crucial procedure Gillenwater's family was paying for, and a costly one. "Twenty-five thousand, plus," Hinkle said.
According to eyewitness accounts, Hinkle says, Stout sacrificed his own life in early February by pushing Gillenwater out of the way at the last second. Hinkle went on to say that Stout's last act was in keeping with the way he lived his life -
always giving. Stout, a Kenwick neighbor and co-owner of Stout Printing, was a beloved fixture in Lexington, heavily involved as a volunteer for many local organizations, such as Woodsongs and Lexington Ballet. On more than one occasion, Hinkle said, her friend of over 20 years had been a source of strength and support in her own life.
"He's probably one of the most remarkable men I've ever met in my life," Hinkle said. "He was just an incredible guy. Every one knew him, and no one had a bad word to say about him. He's just that kind of guy."
And while Hinkle, and the Lexington community as a whole, was left to mourn the loss of a dear friend, Gillenwater was left with two broken legs (three compound fractures in total), not to mention severe mental anguish. While she was in UK Hospital, Hinkle befriended Gillenwater's family, and has remained in close contact with them as Gillenwater recuperates in their home in Knoxville, Tenn.
Fortunately, Gillenwater, a nurse at St. Joseph East Hospital, has medical insurance. "But it doesn't cover everything, we all know that," Hinkle said. "Even if it does, it doesn't cover your mortgage, your bills, your car payment."
Hinkle said Gillenwater received her last paycheck in March, and that Gillenwater was starting to worry how she was going to remain financially intact while recovering for a still-undetermined amount of time.
That's when Hinkle started tinkering with the idea of hosting a benefit on Gillenwater's behalf. She approached her family, who thought it was a great idea. "Her mom called me, crying," Hinkle remembers. "She said, 'Who does this for somebody?' I said, 'Are you kidding me? I hope to God somebody would do this for me.'
"The only thing I need to do is what Roy would have done for anybody, and I think Roy would have expected this from me, because he was more like a brother to me."
The benefit for Gillenwater is now scheduled for 1 - 6 p.m. June 5 at Lynagh's Irish Pub on Woodland Avenue. Numerous musical acts, including The Yonders, The Tall Boys, Gnarly Love and Andy Mason, are scheduled to perform. Admission is $10 ($15 for couples), and 100 percent of the proceeds will be donated to Gillenwater.
There will also be a silent auction of local goods and services, and Hinkle said she has had an outpouring of support -
from restaurants, area businesses, artists and anybody who wanted to help.
Hinkle, an employee at Milward Funeral Directors, is donating her services to clean a winning bidder's home. She concedes it's not the most glamorous auction item, but it's the only service she could think to donate, and that's what Roy would have done.
"He probably would have donated more than anybody," Hinkle said. "He donated to everybody anyway all the time."