My name is Alexander Knapen, and I am the younger brother of JW. I began interviewing guests, volunteers, and staff about their experiences with JW House and compiling them into stories. Throughout the process of writing these stories, I have come to understand the interaction between the broad range of backgrounds from people of all walks of life and the commonalities between their experiences with having a loved one in the hospital. These people's stories reveal the truth behind JW House; they reflect the heart and mission of my brother’s legacy and what he hoped to impart on others through their strength and honesty.
Gloria & Delilah
Gloria & Delilah Hearing the news that her daughter, Delilah, had been diagnosed with cancer came as a great shock to Gloria. The mother of five children, her entire life was up-heaved in an instant. “I’m always very busy. People call me a ‘bus driver’ because I’m always driving somewhere with kids. Plus, my husband…
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The Purgason Family
The Purgason Family When Lee and Kitty Purgason heard the news that their son had been rushed to Santa Clara Valley Medical Center after a work accident, they traveled as quickly as possible from their home in Southern California to the Bay Area. Shaken by the medical crisis, and realizing that they might need to…
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Volunteer Spotlight: Dee Dee Farley
Volunteer Spotlight: Dee Dee Farley Dee Dee Farley’s story began long before JW House was ever built. She and her husband, Tim, went every Sunday to St. Martin of Tours parish for Mass. It was there that Tim met JW for the first time in the choir. “When Tim talks about the first time he…
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