South Fayette Township couple’s efforts promote smiles in son’s memory
Dean and Kristin Huibregtse with Bennett
Kristin Huibregtse is appropriately attired for the 2019 Belmont Jewel furndraising event on behalf of Horses With Hope, the nonprofit organizaiton for which she serves as board president.
Cate Giaquntio, then a member of South Fayette Township High School's Circle of Friends club, has a smile for Bennett Huibregste in February 2020 during the club's annual Mardi Gras party for students and young adults with special needs.
Throughout his life, Bennett Huibregtse fought courageously against a series of medical challenges.
“But one thing that we always noticed, and everybody close to him and people who met him, is that he always met every challenge with a smile,” his mother, Kristin, recalled. “And so when Bennett was passing away, we made a promise to him that we would show the world how to smile as big as he did.”
The promise has become Always B (for Bennett) Smiling, the nonprofit organization established by Kristin and Dean Huibregtse of South Fayette Township Dec. 11, what would have been their son’s 17th birthday.
“Basically, what we’re doing is creating smiles for children with disabilities and health challenges,” Kristin said. “It’s showing the world to live like Bennett did.”
Always B Smiling’s first grin-generating event is scheduled for 3 p.m. May 8 at Tandem Connection in Cecil Township, with free adaptive bike rides on the Montour Trail.
“We’ll be using a duet bicycle that has a wheelchair on the front,” Kristin said. “It’s a great opportunity for the children and the families to get out and enjoy the breeze and the sunshine in their faces, and go for a great ride.”
Plus they’ll be treated to cookies and ice cream, guaranteeing even more smiles.
Always B Smiling also is planning a “Miles for Smiles” event for July 25 at Gilfillan Farm in Upper St. Clair. Complementing a five-kilometer walk along the trail on the farm’s perimeter will be a blood drive conducted by Vitalant, and other participating organizations are UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, the National Kidney Foundation and the therapeutic riding nonprofit Horses With Hope, for which Kristin serves as president of the board of directors.
“He rode at Horses With Hope for over 13 years,” she said about her son. “So that’s near and dear to our hearts and always will continue to be.”
Other activities for children with special needs are envisioned, such bowling outings, scavenger hunts and holiday-themed events.
“Our ultimate goal and dream is to have a greenhouse program,” Kristin said. “We could have some type of farmers market where they could sell all the produce and the plants and everything like that.”
Horticulture, she explained, was one of Bennett’s favorite activities when he attended the Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children.
“We’ve really grouped the nonprofit around the things that were most important in Bennett’s life and experiences that he had,” she said.
For example, an initial focus of support is Children’s nephrology department, as Bennett underwent dialysis early in life before receiving two kidney transplants.
Always B Smiling is presenting young patients with “buddy bags” full of essentials to help entertain them during their stays, along with providing assistance for families if needed.
“Let’s say they get a phone call that they have a kidney available, and they have to drop everything and come to Children’s Hospital to get a transplant. A lot of times, that puts financial hardships on families,” Kristin said. “So we’re going to be there to help support them through those hardships.”
The Huibregtses plan to expand support to other facets of the hospital, and to add more programming for youngsters, as Always B Smiling and its resources grow.
“We’re trying to put our grieving into something good,” Kristin said, “because it’s been super hard without our boy.”
For more information, visit alwaysbsmiling.org.