Here at KW Cares we’re blessed to hear the stories of KW family members who have been touched by our grant program. One such recipient is Jalayne Forrester, whose dream family vacation turned into an absolute nightmare. Below is her story, in her own words.
My name is Jalayne Forrester
I am deeply humbled and profoundly grateful for the outpouring of support my family has received from the Los Gatos Market Center and KW Cares.
What was supposed to be a joyful family vacation in Mexico turned into a nightmare when my husband’s hand was crushed in an ATV accident. We weren’t prepared. We hadn’t purchased travel insurance and had no idea Medicare would offer little to no coverage internationally. He needed emergency surgery to restore blood flow—without it, he would have lost his hand. In the chaos, we had no choice but to max out multiple credit cards to pay for an air ambulance and get him to a hospital at home. I was overwhelmed with worry—both for his health and the mounting financial burden.
In the days that followed, I scrambled to find a way to manage the costs. I applied for a HELOC but was denied due to the sudden spike in our debt. I looked into every option—credit cards, personal loans—but nothing was panning out.
I hesitated to ask for help from my Market Center. I felt ashamed, unsure, and afraid of hearing “no” again.
But then something amazing happened. The leadership team and my agent family at the Market Center wrapped their arms around me. Without hesitation, they stepped up and also encouraged me to apply for a KW Cares grant. I was still hesitant—worried the process would be too hard, too long, or end in another rejection.
That’s when KW Cares came into the picture. Their kindness, guidance, and encouragement made all the difference. They helped me navigate the application with compassion and grace. To my surprise and relief, the application was reviewed and approved within just a few days. That grant brought us an incredible gift: breathing room. It eased the weight of financial worry and allowed my husband to focus entirely on healing.
KW Cares is more than a name—it’s a living, breathing example of compassion in action. KW does care, in the truest sense of the word. And the KW family? Feeling the support of the entire KW agent family is truly a blessing.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you. I am honored, I am humbled, and I am so very, very grateful. I have and will continue to donate to KW Cares.
How You Can Help
Jalayne’s husband’s hand needed 8 surgeries, but he’s recovering now, and we were able to help ease some of the financial strain related to the (very expensive) international air ambulance.
If you know a KW associate like Jalayne, please send them our information. We want to make sure they have what they need, and they can apply online at kwcares.org/grants/