History of Zink the Zebra Foundation

Kelly Weil (1982-1993)

How Zink was born...

Kelly was a little girl, like any other, who loved friends, family, books, swimming, animals and computers - except at age eleven, she lost her battle with cancer. While undergoing treatment for cancer, Kelly wrote a story about a zebra named Zink who has spots instead of stripes. Zink questions why she is treated differently just because she looks different on the outside. Kelly's story expresses the pain associated with the withdrawal of friendships due to misconceptions about physical differences. The sensitive message she relays concerns the importance of friendship, tolerance, and acceptance by others.

"I don't want people to treat me differently because I'm dying," she said on the afternoon she discovered her bone cancer could not be cured. Still, her friends drew away from her because they didn't understand she was the same sunny Kelly, in spite of her cancer. As you can imagine, this touched her deeply.  

After Kelly died in 1993, her father, Les Weil, published her story, Zink the Zebra - A Special Tale. His daughter's poignant message also inspired him to create Zink the Zebra Foundation. He did this for two reasons: He wanted to remember the daughter he loved, and he also saw the need to help other people who feel they aren't as worthwhile as others because they are different.

The moral of Kelly's courageous and wise story continues to reach thousands of children and adults today through Zink the Zebra Foundation. Every day, the Foundation's educational programs spread Kelly's "special and different" message to schoolchildren, Girl Scouts, Camps and others throughout the nation. In addition, Kelly's story, coupled with endearing illustrations by Jay Jocham, has become a popular book in homes and libraries across America.

Although Kelly lived a short life, she continues to have an influence on children and adults that few who live much longer can ever hope to achieve.

"Kelly has impacted so many people in so many ways...I will never forget...when I read that, 'not being accepted...hurt Kelly even more than the treatments.' This just touched me in every way possible."

Molly Anderson, student - Wisconsin