It is often said that you learn the true nature of a person during difficult times. If that is indeed correct, then Bishop Montgomery junior Olivia Kelleher ‘21 is a shining light in the world.
For the last few weeks, a good portion of her days have been spent on Zoom meetings for her BMHS online classes, completing classwork, and doing homework. She is, for the most part, stuck at home, like most everyone, because of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a member of the BMHS Song Team, Olivia is tasked with being energetic and uplifting to fans at BMHS athletic events. She is always moving, dancing, and staying active. So being at home, in front of a computer screen all day, is not something she will take “sitting down.”
On a recent Monday morning, Olivia’s mother took her to a doctor’s appointment. When a nurse noticed Olivia wearing a mask, she mentioned that some of their patients have been going into their cabinets and taking masks, hand sanitizer and toilet paper. Olivia immediately decided that she was going to be a solution, a ray of hope, in this pandemic. In fact, immediately meant that afternoon.
After her appointment, she went to the store, purchased supplies and delivered a stack of masks that day. Her visit to the doctor, however, was not her only inspiration. “The first thing that inspired me to make masks was hearing that my friend’s one-year-old brother, who has Down Syndrome, still has to be taken to the hospital each week, even during this pandemic,” says Olivia.
Olivia’s quest to get masks to those in need did not end at the office of her doctor. “Olivia started asking around to see who needed [masks],” says her mother, Julie. “We found out that nurses at Little Company of Mary in San Pedro needed them. A cleaning crew in Santa Clarita that worked at the hospital there didn’t have any masks, as did a little one year old who has medical problems. She has been working non-stop to make sure these people have them.”
So, Olivia headed to a local store and, with her own money, purchased all the materials she would need to make as many masks as she could. And boy did she get to work. According to her mother, Olivia’s days go something like this: wake up early to start making masks; school (online) from 8:00am to 12:45pm; have lunch and make more masks; then get homework done. “She will not slow down,” says Julie. “She keeps saying that there are so many more people we can help. I’m just in awe of my daughter and her loving heart and her Christ-like service.”
To date, Olivia has made over 700 masks for people working on the front lines of the pandemic. According to Olivia, it only takes her a few minutes to make each mask, giving her time to deliver some of the masks personally. In addition to the hospital in Santa Clarita and San Pedro Little Company of Mary Hospital, Olivia has made masks for Beach Cities Orthopedic in Manhattan Beach and Torrance, a special needs family in Utah, United Airlines workers in San Francisco, a family in Arizona, workers with the LAUSD grab-and-go lunch program, Joe’s Postal Service, a rehabilitation center in Culver City, Last House on the Block (housing for the homeless), cancer patients in Arizona and New Mexico, and many nurses, grocery workers and caregivers.
Olivia's story was also featured on Torrance CitiCABLE's news show, "COVID-19 TODAY."
If you would like to help donate to Olivia and her cause, you can Venmo to Julie Kelleher. Use the QR Code below on your Venmo app.
