BILLINGS — An eighth-grade student who survived being hit by a car in 2023 is giving back to the Billings hospital that treated her by donating personalized Bible kits to current patients.
As part of a school project, Rylee Jansen decided to share her faith with those living through a similar experience to the one she had more than two years ago.
Click here to for Rylee's story:
"Basically, I created Bible kits to give to the PICU (pediatric intensive care unit) at St. Vincent’s," Jansen said. "I think just at low moments, I could be there for someone else when I felt like there was a gap for me."
Each kit is personalized based on age and gender, featuring a Bible, a highlighter, a pen, a journal and a tiny Jesus figurine. Last week, she traveled door-to-door at the clinic to hand out the gifts.
"I’ve never really experienced déjà vu, but that’s what you would call it, I guess," Jansen said. "You’re hearing the beeps, the lighting, just everything contributes to it. It’s so dark in there. Like the time just goes by so slow."
Jansen said she hopes this project helps provide the support she felt she needed during her recovery. Her mother, Tricia Jansen, said the project aligns perfectly with her daughter's character.
"There was no surprise in it," Tricia said. "She’s always had a very faithful heart."
The Jansen family said the first wave of donations went great, with multiple patients accepting the Bible kits. Rylee said she hopes to continue doing the project if the need remains.
"It was a really cool day as a parent to see your child giving back to the community," Tricia said.
The kits were well received by patients like Andy Bannasch, who said he appreciated the gesture from someone who understands the recovery process.
"I really do just want to get back to the way things were, so it was nice to just have a reminder of that, if that makes sense?" Bannasch said. "It was super nice just to know that there was somebody who had managed to take the tragedy and illnesses that they had experienced and transformed it into a net positive for other people, which is what was done for me."
For the Jansen family, the day provided closure and an opportunity to encourage others.
"It was nice to be able to tell, especially the parents, that you know that this is temporary, and that eventually it’s going to get better," Tricia said.
For Rylee, it represented a fulfilled promise to help the unit that aided her recovery two years ago.
"It showed me that I don’t know everyone's story, but like I don’t know, it just seemed like I was a prayer they were asking for," Rylee said.
