“Her story is inspiring to me because no matter what came her way, most of which was not of her own choosing, she has more than survived, she’s thrived,” Phillip Moody, Chaplain in the Cynthiana office, said. “She went past everyone’s expectations including her parents, but once they understood that they celebrated and supported her.” 

Thornton was misunderstood by teachers and students. As a first grader, she was often put in the corner while the teacher worked with the rest of the class. Another teacher taped her dominant left hand to her desk to try to force her to become right-handed. She suffered severe asthma attacks that put her in the hospital for weeks at a time. Yet, she was determined to persevere. 

“I knew I wasn’t a dummy, and I knew something was wrong, even as a child,” she said. “Overcoming my struggles helped me decide I wanted to work with kids because if my teachers could teach me, then I could teach others.” 

In high school, her freshman English teacher gave her the chance she needed, helping her learn to write letters and numbers and even working with her on Saturdays. Thornton learned to read by placing a red dot on the left side of the paper to train her eyes to start reading from left to right. That teacher helped other teachers understand how to help Thornton learn. 

As a paraeducator at Dry Ridge Elementary, Thornton supported students’ confidence by helping them succeed at small things so they could tackle bigger challenges. She made index cards with cutouts so students could see only one word at a time. She shared her red-dot trick, and she worked with dyslexic students to help them learn to “flip words” based on context. Most of all, she inspired them to never give up. 

“I’d tell my kids you have to keep doing it over and over and over again,” she said. “It may take a while, but it will get in there. In fact, one of my students told me he could hear, ‘Just keep trying’ in his sleep.” 

As a hospice patient, Thornton continues to teach. She reminds team members to cultivate a spirit of gratitude by challenging them to build their bucket list at the end of each day. For her, this is a way to appreciate the moments that occurred and acknowledge that every day is a win. 

"She’s given me the gift of hope in that it’s never too late to continue living and because of God’s grace and mercy, we can live again," Moody said. "Witnessing her determination has also reminded me to create space, when possible, for patients and their families to persevere through what has come their way." 

Team members who care for Thornton are reminded and inspired to look at the positive and develop a healthy perspective. 

“Teresa pushes through whatever issues or symptoms that she encounters involving her illnesses,” Kimberly Lewis, RN in the Cynthiana office, said. “She does it with such grace and peace. It’s been a blessing for me to be involved in her care.” 



Bluegrass Care Navigators provides hospice care in 32 counties across Kentucky, as well as specialized care for aging Kentuckians including palliative, PACE, home health, transitional, home primary care and grief care. For more information about our services or volunteer programs, visit www.bgcarenav.org.