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By DANIEL HOLMES | General Manager

Heaven gained an angel this week. The Helena community lost one of its most compassionate residents to COVID-19.

Jane Holston, longtime Shelby County resident, had been battling this vicious virus for several weeks. She was hospitalized after she was diagnosed with COVID-19 and later developed bilateral pneumonia. Ultimately, she lost her fight with the virus this past week.

Jane positively impacted every life that she encountered. My family is included. Jane and her husband, Rob, overwhelmingly welcomed us to the neighborhood many years ago as they did with everyone. As a Helena resident, you would often see Jane and Rob walking many of their dogs that they loved unconditionally. Jane was a lover and advocate of animals and humans, oftentimes taking in both when they found themselves with nowhere else to go.

In February 2021, she was named one of the Shelby County Reporter’s Unsung Heroes in our annual Profile magazine. She was nominated for this title for her work with Two by Two Animal Rescue. Jane has volunteered as a medical coordinator for this animal rescue organization for a number of years. Some would call her a “foster fail mom” because after treating and loving more than 20 dogs, over the years she invited several to permanently live with her and her family.

She had the biggest heart and lived life to the fullest in every sense of the phrase. Her friend Annette Hess described Jane best: “As Jane traveled through life, she left footprints wherever she went – footprints of love, kindness, compassion, courage, humor, inspiration, joy and faith. Look around and you can clearly see the trail Jane left behind – a trail of love, hope, happiness, and dedication toward making a difference in the life of another person and/or animal.”

Jane Holston was a nurse practitioner and a professor at Samford University School of Nursing. She and Rob cherished the Helena community and enjoyed spending time on the lake. Jane’s son Tyler Treadwell was also at the center of her heart. She loved him more than words can express. She would always share the details of his new adventures and she was so proud of his love for music. She, without a doubt, was his biggest cheerleader.

COVID-19 is causing devastation and grief in many of our communities. Families across the county and state continue to deal with tremendous loss with this virus. It’s unpredictable and currently there’s no end in sight. On Tuesday, Sept. 7 at 12 p.m., the Alabama Hospital Association called for a statewide moment of silence to remember more than 12,000 Alabamians lost from COVID-19. I encourage you to participate and remember my friend Jane Holston.