2025 Hayride Recipients

 At just 14 years old, Raelyn Spivey began experiencing strange symptoms that seemed to stem from strenuous PE activities at school. In April 2025, her health took a serious turn—she developed a racing heart, dizziness, and near fainting episodes. Alarmed, her parents rushed her to the ER, where her blood work revealed something far more serious.

Within 24 hours, Raelyn was transported to Savannah, GA, where doctors diagnosed her with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL), a type of cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow. Treatment will be long and difficult—spanning 2 ½ years of chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and radiation.

Raelyn’s mother, Amanda Migues, works as a house cleaner but has had to step away from work to care for her daughter. Her father, Dallas Spivey, works from home doing automobile upholstery. Together, they are raising four children: Emma (14), Dallas “Catfish” (7), and Odin (almost 5), while doing everything possible to ensure Raelyn gets the care she needs.

Despite their strength, the financial strain is heavy, and the family is struggling to stay afloat. This year, Bluebirds for Hope has chosen Raelyn and her family as one of the beneficiaries of Shady Nights on Cemetery Street. With your support, we can help ease their burden and remind them they are not alone in this fight.

 Jessica “Jess” Hooberry is a lifelong resident of Jasper County. She is married to Chris and together they have two children, Hailey and Nelson. Jessica is the daughter of Mr. Jimmy and Jean, also lovingly known as Beverly Henderson.

Since 2020, Jessica and her family have been deeply involved with our annual haunted hayride, always volunteering and helping in any way possible. This year, however, Jess is facing a challenge of her own.

In August, Jessica began experiencing neck pain along with tingling and numbness in her arms and hands. As a medical professional working at Village Medical, she knew something wasn’t right. After seeking answers, an MRI revealed a brain tumor that could be the source of her symptoms. On September 16th, she will travel to Augusta, GA for brain surgery to determine exactly what type of tumor she is facing.

The financial burden of this diagnosis is already overwhelming, with estimates for surgery reaching staggering amounts. Jessica and her family have given so much to others—now it’s our turn to stand with them. By joining together, we can help lift the weight of medical expenses and show Jessica that her community is behind her every step of the way.