$500 donation in honor of Cheyenne Farewell supports Just Tell One

Organization assists people struggling with anxiety, depression

Jeff Farewell of Medina stands next to a portrait of his daughter Cheyenne, who was 20 when she was shot and killed Oct. 17, 2020 at a party in Lockport. Tim Hortons in Medina presented a check for $500 in Cheyenne’s memory to Carol Doggett with Just Tell One Mental Health Advocates of WNY.

MEDINA – Oct. 17 will mark a very sad day in the life of Jeff Farewell.

It will be the one-year anniversary of the day his daughter Cheyenne was shot and killed in Lockport.

What has helped him through this past year is the kindness and support from the community, such as the donation made by Tim Hortons in Medina on Thursday afternoon.

Tim Hortons has been selling smile cookies with Cheyenne’s name on them, resulting in $500 being collected in her honor.  Tim Hortons owners, Joe Filippelli and his sister Jennifer Karbowski, presented the check for $500 to Carol Doggett, senior director of marketing, communications and outreach for Just Tell One, an organization which assists people struggling with mental health and depression, and one which Cheyenne had supported.

Jeff Farewell of Medina stands next to a portrait of his daughter Cheyenne, who was 20 when she was shot and killed nearly a year ago at a Halloween party in Lockport.

Karbowski said they had heard about Cheyenne’s death and wanted to do something in her memory to give back to the community which has supported them.

Cheyenne’s dad recalled the night his daughter died.

“She was out with friends,” Jeff said. “She was just going to a party like other kids do. I was sleeping, and it was after midnight when I got up. I always check my phone when I get up. There was a message from a friend, saying, ‘So sorry.’ I called her and asked what she meant. She said, ‘Oh my gosh. You don’t know.’ Then she told me Cheyenne was at a party and had passed away.”

“I wasn’t surprised she was at a party with friends,” her dad continued. “She was a very social girl. Not a day goes by I don’t get some kind of story from someone telling me how she made a positive impact on their life. She was an amazing person.”

Cheyenne, who is also a daughter of Rochelle Nellist of Iowa, was a student at Brockport State College, studying to be a counselor. She wanted to help other people, her father said.

Other family members who attended the check presentation were her aunt Tammy Burtwell, cousin Lexus Burtwell, Luxus’ daughter Gabriella and long-time family friend Kevin Smith.

“My daughter Anastasia and Cheyenne grew up together,” Smith said. “Her death is a wound all around for us. My daughter suffered anxiety and depression, like Cheyenne, and they were there for each other. They were in school together. The two of them were supposed to be there to bury me. This was not the way it was supposed to be.”

Doggett said it was very touching that Tim Hortons contacted her agency and wanted to make a donation in Cheyenne’s name. Cheyenne had participated in a campaign for Just Tell One and had posted her messages on you/tube. They can be heard on youtube.com/c/JustTellOne.

On Oct. 17, the one-year anniversary of Cheyenne’s death, her family is holding a ceremony at 7 p.m. in Butts Park on South Main Street. Her dad will speak and lanterns will be released in her memory.