Remember Holly

About Holly Rebecca Cummins

Give to Holly's Dance Marathon

Holly Rebecca Cummins was born on August 8, 1995 to Betsy and Howard Cummins, and from the day she was born we knew she was a gift from God. Holly was our only child and what a joy she was, happy and loving all the time.

When Holly was two years old we enrolled her in a church school for half day classes so she would have interaction with other children. When Howard and I took her to her first day of school we expected her to cry, but she did the opposite, she walked into the classroom, walked up to a little girl and began to play with her, they became friends instantly, and we were the ones who walked away crying.

When Holly attended elementary school we learned she was gifted in academics and excelled in many things, from winning an award from the Veteran's of Foreign Wars to winning the Duval County Invention Convention. Holly was very well liked by her teachers and friends, but we noticed she was still very shy.

Holly attended Jacksonville Country Day School in sixth grade where she met new people who she became friends with and who are still friends to this day. She then attended the Bolles Middle School at Bartram Campus, a small campus which we selected because of her shyness and she continued to excel academically and artistically.

After middle school Holly attended high school at the Bolles School, San Jose Campus, where she graduated with honors. While attending high school Holly was a member of the Bolles Hip-Hop Dance Team, the Phoenix Society, and the National Honor Society. As a senior, Holly was selected and danced in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in NYC. Holly was always a fan of football, but while attending Bolles her love of football shined through.

Holly then continued her studies at Florida State University (FSU) in Tallahassee, Florida. While at FSU she became a member of the sorority, Alpha Phi, and was on their Line Dance Team. Holly also held the position of Line Dance Liaison for one year and in her senior year of college became a Rho Gam for the Panhellenic Society. In her sophomore year of college Holly informed us she was trying out for the Garnet and Gold Guides for FSU's football program, we were a bit skeptical because of her shyness, but she did it, she was selected as a member of the Garnet and Gold Guides and it meant the world to her. When Holly worked with the recruits, touring the school and sports facilities and answering questions they may have had about the school, she came out of her shyness and shined as an example of what FSU is all about. Holly became their go-to person for special recruits. Holly loved football, she even surprised some guys with how much she knew about football, so she fit right in with the Garnet and Gold Guides.

Another thing Holly was passionate about while attending FSU was Dance Marathon, a fundraiser that benefits the Children's Miracle Network. Holly looked forward to Dance Marathon every year so she could raise money and dance for those who couldn't.

This past July, Holly attended Florida State University's International Study Program in London where she met her London family of friends and grew as a person. The experience of studying abroad was a dream of hers and she embraced it with everything she had.

Holly made Dean's List or President's List every semester while attending FSU. Holly received her degree posthumously with honors from Florida State University in December 2016 and we couldn't be any prouder.

Holly was truly a gift from God.