By KARI BLURTON
Hays Post
2012 Hays High School graduate and Nashville singer/songwriter Max Walker, 21, is bringing his tour with Alex Renbarger, a 2015 “American Idol” contestant, to Hays May 1 with a goal to help a Hays woman he has never met raise funds for her battle against cancer.
According to Max’s mom, Jean Walker, Max routinely performed benefits in Hays before spreading his wings and moving to Nashville shortly after graduation, landing an agent, writing songs with 2008 “American Idol” runner-up David Archuleta and working on his own upcoming album.
Jean said when her son realized his tour was bringing him close to the Hays area, he asked his mom to search for someone in need of financial help so he and Renbarger could hold a benefit concert.
“He just really liked doing those, and there is always a need for somebody who needs help,” Jean said.
Jean started searching Facebook and came across a post by a woman hosting a garage sale to raise funds to help lifelong Hays resident, Mary Grizzle, 46, with medical expenses due to cancer.
Word of the fundraiser quickly spread — businesses began donating items for a raffle and community members started asking how they could help.
“(The fundraiser) kind of took on a life of its own. We were just going to do a nice little benefit … maybe get $1,000 for (Mary),” Walker said. “She must be very well-known and loved in this community because everyone is jumping in to help. It’s just really heartwarming and just shows this community is really willing to step up and help.”
For Mary and her husband Rich Grizzle and their five boys between the ages of 12 and 33, the community support is a “blessing.”
“It is just amazing that people you don’t know would donate their items and their money to a total stranger just to help them out,” she said. “We have been totally blessed by it all.”
Mary began receiving cancer treatment in January 2014 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. And then diagnosed with a separate form of cancer of colon in July.
“I thought I was done with it in January 2015 and the then found out the cancer had traveled to the liver and now the lungs as well,” Mary said.
Both Mary and Rich remain optimistic about Mary’s prognosis.
“We just have to fight this,” Rich said. “It’s nice knowing we are not going through this alone.”
The benefit is scheduled for Friday, May 1, at Union Station Coffee and Roastery, 1007 Vine, from 6:30 to 9 p.m.
Walker said the event is “come-and-go” and will feature Walker and Renbarger and three other performances — Ash and Al Band, Craig Plotner and T3 String Trio.
For more information or to donate, contact Jean Walker at (785) 259-6769 or Janell Nease at (785) 259-2265.