LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — For 24 years, the Jarrett's Joy Cart Holiday Store has brought a sense of comfort to families who've made the Kentucky Children's Hospital their home.
The story of Jarrett Mynear and his acts of kindness are known across Kentucky. Jarrett was only two years old when he was first diagnosed with cancer. For the next 11 years, he would be diagnosed five more times and undergo a lower leg amputation.
Jarrett lost his battle to cancer in 2002, only a couple years after he started Jarrett's Joy Cart.
"Every room has a different story and somehow or other, the holidays store and Jarrett's Joy Cart seem to meet them where they are," explains Jennifer Mynear, Jarrett's mom. Along with Jarrett's father and sister, the whole family has been able to keep Jarrett's wish alive. "One of the things with Jarrett is he- in his final week, he had some marching orders for us and he had a friend write things down for him and one of the things he asked us to do was to continue to the Joy Cart and continue the holiday store."
Jarrett started the joy cart to give back to those who give so much and may feel extra lonely this time of year.
Like 16-year-old Brayden Judd, who was recently diagnosed with Crohn's disease.
"I think it's really cool because I've always grown up in a good home and I know that some kids aren't and there's gonna be a lot of kids spending Christmas in the hospital and this is something that's doing good."
The store covers all age ranges from infants to teens to grandparents.
Any patients who went shopping in the holiday store just grabbed a cart and wheeled it over to whatever toys they wanted. They weren't just shopping for themselves, but also their family members.
A group of hospital staff waited upstairs for each gift to wrap and get ready for Christmas Day.
"In joy there is a moment of healing and even if there in a hospital bed hooked up to an IV dealing with chronic illness or accident injuries or whatever. They still get a moment of mental or emotional escape," explains Mynear.
Jarrett's Joy Cart delivers toys every Tuesday year-round and donations are always welcomed.
