Lexington, Kentucky – Abigail Anderson, an 18-year-old high school senior, is transforming her personal tragedy into a mission to support children experiencing similar loss. After the death of her father, David Anderson, in 2018 due to colon cancer, Abigail and her mother, Jessica, marked a profound shift in their lives—dividing their experiences into ‘before’ and ‘after’ his passing.
Abigail, who won the title of National American Miss Kentucky Teen on Father’s Day this year, channels her grief into advocacy through her initiative, DADD: Delivering Activities During Distress. This program aims to provide toys and engaging activities for children whose family members are in hospice care, making their experience a bit more bearable.
David Anderson was diagnosed with cancer when Abigail was just 12. Despite his battle, Jessica remained optimistic, never contemplating his death until just weeks before Christmas when he passed away at the age of 39. “We didn’t go there,” she recalled, emphasizing their family’s positive outlook during the prolonged struggle.
During her father’s time in the palliative care unit at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Abigail recognized a critical need for activities for children in distress. “There was nothing for me to do,” she said, recalling the limited resources available. Inspired by this lack, she began collecting toys and organizing drives to support other families in similar situations.
Recently, Abigail returned to Vanderbilt for the first time since her father’s death, bringing with her a new load of toys to donate. “Not much had changed. They didn’t have anything,” she observed, further fueling her determination to expand DADD into a nonprofit organization.
In addition to DADD, Abigail is creating a coloring book aimed at helping children process their feelings about loss. The illustrations feature her beloved corgi, Doodlebug, named after the nickname her father used for her. The book will be accessible to hospice units via a QR code, broadening its reach.
Abigail’s life is a balance between her advocacy work and her aspirations. She is also a member of the JROTC program at Henry Clay High School and plans to pursue criminal justice at the University of Kentucky next fall. Abigail, represented by a talent agency, has been involved in acting, singing, and modeling since the age of eight, activities she credits to her father’s influence.
Although Abigail acknowledges that returning to hospice units is emotionally challenging, she believes her efforts can provide comfort to others facing similar hardships. “What I’m doing right now, it hurts so bad,” she stated, but her hope is that the toys and activities will help ease the process for other children.
As Abigail prepares for her upcoming national competition in Orlando, she carries with her not just the title of a beauty queen, but also a powerful message of resilience and compassion born from her own experiences.
