A community is banding together to support a woman who adopted her best friend's four young daughters after their single mom died of brain cancer earlier this year.
New York resident Laura Ruffino told WKBW that she became best friends with Elizabeth Diamond in fifth grade. "No matter where we were, we always had fun," she said.
In 2014, Diamond was diagnosed with stage 4 brain cancer. The single mom of four daughters asked Ruffino if she would take her children if something happened, and Ruffino said she instantly said yes.
“As she started to weaken, you can imagine the fears that I had for the girls and being without her," Ruffino told the TV station.
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After fighting the disease for months, Diamond passed away in April. Shortly after her death, Ruffino, her husband, Rico, and their two daughters welcomed Diamond's girls into their home.
Now, their upstate New York community is working together to help the Ruffino family financially adjust to their new additions.
Elizabeth Diamond co-founded the Buffalo Wellness Center, a holistic nonprofit, and dedicated her life to helping others.
Another co-founder, Rebecca Joy Lesniak, told BuzzFeed News she had promised Diamond she would carry on her message of helping those in need.
"I promised her that she wouldn’t be forgotten," she said.
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Lesniak and the rest of the center decided to set up an online fundraiser to help support the Ruffino family, and the family's story soon spread throughout the web. To date, the center's efforts have raised $24,000.
Other community members also got involved, organizing a benefit for the Ruffino family in the community to be held Aug. 30.
Lesniak said she is amazed how quickly Diamond's story is spreading throughout the country, adding that she believes it's a sign Diamond that is still making an impact on the world.
"What shocks me is she is continuing her work someplace else," she said.
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