“She’s probably one of the most educated people I know,” Anna Neal says. “Even through everything she was going through, she pushed us to pay attention to the world and stay informed.”
Just three days before she passed away in November 2024, Penelope presented her senior capstone project, completing the work necessary to earn her degree — and with the highest honors. Her mother walked the graduation stage to accept Penelope’s diploma on her behalf.
Turning Grief Into Purpose
Before Penelope’s passing, five of her friends decided to take action against osteosarcoma. With Penelope’s support and encouragement, they set up a GoFundMe page in advance of the 2025 Publix Atlanta Marathon to raise money for osteosarcoma research. None of them imagined she would be gone before race day.
Still, the women ran the race in matching shirts with the words, “Miles to Make it Better.”
“Brooke designed them, and Penelope approved the shirts while she was still here,” Katie says.
Later, the women organized a benefit garage sale. What started as a modest idea quickly snowballed into a major community event.
“We thought it was just going to be mainly our donated items and crafts we made — we did not expect it to be as big as it was,” Katie says. “We added a bunch of people to this huge group chat and then we put donation bins in the sorority house and so many people donated — our whole living room was completely filled with stuff.”
The yard sale ended up being a huge success, and not only because of the money it raised. It was also a great opportunity for people to come together to honor Penelope.
“It was almost like a hangout for people who knew her to just chat and talk to each other again,” Katie says. “She was definitely a very prominent figure on campus and in the Atlanta community.”
“One of the first people to visit the yard sale was one of Penelope’s friends from high school,” Brooke says. “Her cousins were there — and her mom came, too; she comes to a lot of things like that. I think it is really nice for her to see how many people loved Penelope.”
Altogether, the group raised approximately $21,000 for two organizations close to their hearts: the Osteosarcoma Institute and MIB Agents.
Teammates Forever
After losing their friend, the women found comfort in one another and the shared love they still carry for Penelope.
“A few weeks ago, we were walking somewhere, and we were like, ‘What is the dynamic of this fivesome?’” Brooke says. “The best way we could come up with was to say that we are like a basketball team.”
“Even though we have never played basketball together,” Anna Silverio laughs.
Still, the metaphor holds. “It describes how we communicate and how we have supported each other in these past few months,” Katie says. “Like a team, you have to build each other up. We have gone through some of the lowest lows but also some of the biggest highs together.”
For Jenny, that lesson endures. “One of the biggest things I have taken away from my friendship with Penelope is that you have to stand up for what you believe in and who you are.”
Their team continues to carry Penelope’s spirit forward in every step they take, every cause they champion — together.
