A community is showing their support for a teacher as she recently was diagnosed with Leukemia. She's now in treatment and thousands of dollars have been raised within just 48 hours.
A hospital room in Iowa City is Konnie Hurlbut's new home for the next 26 days where she will receive chemo treatment. Just a month ago she was celebrating her wedding day with her husband Jacob.
"We got married, went on our honeymoon in Mexico and got back and I just had a sinus infection, bronchitis, that just kind of hung around," said Hurlbut.
After getting some blood work done she found out she has Leukemia. Now 24-year-old Hurlbut and her husband are facing a challenge most married couples never will.
"I wake up and I think I have a bad day and it just really made me sit and think, you know, my bad day is nothing compared to what they're going through," said Sarah Siler.
Siler has been there to capture the couple's happiest moments from their engagement to their wedding pictures. On Monday, July 28, she was there again to take photos of Konnie cutting off 16 inches of her hair to get a wig made. However, that means a lot of money, on top of the other medical expenses the couple has to worry about. Hurlbut is a fifth grade teacher in Muscatine and won't be able to go back to work this year.
"I had no idea that many people in the community wanted to help the way they have been." said Hurlbut.
Siler and Hurlbut's sister-in-law created a site for donations. As of Monday, July 28 there had been more than $3,900 raised. Now she can afford a wig, and much more.
"It makes it so much easier to have people in my corner backing me up and just knowing their thoughts and prayers are with us all the time," said Hurlbut.