Kayla and Cole Meyer had, by all accounts, a pretty great life: They had a loving marriage, two beautiful daughters, supportive parents, careers they enjoyed, and huge (and we mean HUGE) hearts for the community. Life was good — beautiful, even. On Christmas of 2022, though, Cole went into cardiac arrest and spent seemingly endless months in a coma. The family’s lives were turned upside down in ways that were previously unimaginable, and it’s been a slow, slow coming back. If you talk to Kayla, though, she’ll tell you life is still beautiful — and she really means it. It’s that inherent positivity that has made Kayla such a popular and prolific figure in the nonprofit world, such a supportive and dedicated wife to Cole, and super mom to 6-year-old Stella, and Millie, who’s 4.

The very dark days

It’s crazy how quickly life can change. Cole was experiencing chest pains, but neither he nor Kayla thought they were anything too serious. If they had, Cole wouldn’t have stayed by himself while Kayla ran to drop the girls off with their grandparents. By the time she returned, Cole had gone into cardiac arrest and the resulting brain injury left him in a coma that would last almost four months. Those were some long, gloomy days; Cole had numerous infections, there seemed to be no shortage of bad news, and even Kayla the Positive was on the verge of despair. But there wasn’t time for pity, and that’s not really who she was. She barely left Cole’s side — she wanted him to feel her presence, to know he was loved. She tried to keep life for Stella and Millie as normal as possible during those dark days, so friends and family were a huge help.

 A miracle — and a long journey

Slowly, and almost imperceptibly at first, Cole started to show glimpses of movement: first his toes and fingers, then subtle eye movement. Cole was transferred to Madonna where he stayed for several months, learning how to walk and talk again — all the things that most guys in their thirties take for granted. When insurance no longer covered Cole’s stay at Madonna, Cole’s parents stepped in to ensure he has round-the clock, stable care. Home health comes, too, providing rehab, therapy, and other necessary care. The goal is for his brain and body to heal so he can be there for his wife and daughters again. Meanwhile, they’re there for him, every single day. When Cole was in the hospital, Kayla would FaceTime the girls, and they’d play games with him — and now they can do it in person.

Lightning strikes (literally)

Medical bills would have piled up anyway, but Kayla lost her job while she was at Cole’s side all those months, and they piled up faster. She has a new job now, which helps with income and insurance, but as you can imagine, expenses seem never ending, and they’ll be at this for a while. To top all this off, the Meyer house was one of the Lincoln homes struck by lightning during last summer’s storms. Kayla and the girls were home when the bolt went down their chimney, shattering tile and ruining the electrical panel, among other damage. They had to evacuate, but thankfully, no one was hurt. That’s all Kayla cared about.

A light for others

The holidays are a perfect opportunity to help the ones who help others. Kayla was nominated by longtime friend, Jessica States Thiele, along with several others, and was chosen for her commitment to the community and ability to make a difference in spite of her own extraordinary circumstances. She is described by her friends as a genuinely kind person and an advocate for everyone — a true light for others, as illustrated by her decade-plus in the nonprofit sector. No matter what she is going through, Kayla with the positive spirit will greet you with a warm smile and big hug.

The brightest of holidays

Union Bank and the Magic Moments team, together with our generous partners, think that Kayla, along with her husband the fighter (we’re proud of you, Cole) and her adorable girls deserve the brightest of holidays, so we’ve arranged for some holiday magic. The family loves the Lincoln Children’s Zoo (Kayla used to work there, so they’re regulars), the Children’s Museum, movies, games, crafting, swimming… just about anything they can do as a family. Thanks to a huge family fun pack, they’ll have crafts and games galore, plus memberships, gift cards, and passes to provide many opportunities for entertainment and adventure in the year ahead. Hand-picked gifts for each family member ensure they know how special they are, including comfort gifts for Cole, some much-needed pampering for Kayla, and tablets, swimming lessons, and fun glamour gifts for the girls. Christmas lights are a treasured family tradition, and the Meyer bunch will be treated to a Magical Lights of Lincoln tour as well as the Zoo Lights tour!

Kayla, UBT wishes you, Cole, Stella, and Millie the happiest of holidays, and may your light always shine brightly. Happy holidays, Meyer family!