Kara Furniturewalla Endowment Fund

Kara Lynn White was born on October 1, 1966 with a major heart defect. She was in heart failure at two weeks. A partial diagnosis indicated several defects were involved with Kara’s difficulty but a complete diagnosis was not possible until she would be close to two years of age. When that opportunity became available her parents took her to Indiana University Medical Center in Indianapolis to gain final diagnostic results.

The medical expectations offered: The IU doctors expressed doubt Kara would live past five years—and, that about that time, some kind of bypass would be necessary. They also predicted Kara would not make it through her teens. However, the unfailing grace of God combined with Kara’s indomitable will to live, proved those medical projections inaccurate.

Kara survived many medical challenges throughout her years, but faced her greatest challenge at age 19 when she experienced a stroke. A subsequent major open heart renovation was the only reasonable choice to provide extended life for Kara. She reluctantly agreed. The surgery was successful.

A few years later Kara met the love of her life—a young man from India who was on his way to a prominent place in global marketing. They married and soon left the USA for Dubai where Kara was first a daycare teacher then a Fed Ex employee for a term. A serious illness put her in hospital but she recovered to continue her marital journey of some 20 years.

From Dubai they relocated to San Diego; next they ventured to Geneva, then to Miami, Singapore and, finally, a return to Miami. In between were many excursions in Europe, the Middle East, and India, where Kara visited her husband’s mother and extended family.

Wherever Kara and her husband traveled she would write glamorous travelogues that enabled family and friends to enjoy Kara’s experiences. Regardless of her physical condition she maintained a joyful attitude and encouraged many others who were facing hardship and/or disease. Some said Kara was their hero. One woman who was struggling through cancer treatments said, “When I think I cannot face one more episode I think of Kara. I have never met her, but, when I hear what she has endured I say, “I can do it again.”

When her dad was driving Kara to Shands Hospital in Gainesville, Florida he suggested he and Kara should have a conversation about the big “D.” Kara turned her fiery eyes directly at him and said, “I’m not afraid to die, Daddy. I just don’t want to be dead!”

These words captivate Kara’s zest for life. She was always looking for one more journey to explore new territory, one more hospital stay to encourage doctors and nurses, one more neighbor to befriend, or another lonely young person needing assurance. Then, after several such experiences Kara would have another basket of new friends with whom to share her love and courage.

Added to these experiences were the multiple letters from children around the world whom Kara helped to feed. All this, and more, explains why Kara’s family chose to establish an endowment with Love INC of Brevard as a suitable memory of Kara’s compassionate and fearless heart.

Kara Furniturewalla Endowment Fund

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