What could there possibly be that links Juniper Holiday + Home—one of the Midwest’s premier vacation rental companies—with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS)?

Well, I’ll tell you, it’s nothing short of heartfelt, soul-stirring magic!

It starts with Mallorie Hook, who was born September 23, 1991 in Indianapolis with a rare genetic disorder, acute myeloid leukemia, a cancer of the blood and bone marrow. Now, many of us may know people who’ve been afflicted with life-challenging illnesses -- but what’s uncommon is the person who stares that sort of condition in the face and says, “Okay, I see you, but I’m not gonna’ let you define me, not one bit…” and then goes about living life on their own terms!

It turns out Mallorie had this kind of spirit… in spades.

First off, in high school, she not only dove into volleyball, softball and cheerleading, but also began expressing her innate creativity as a budding cosmetologist, volunteering her obvious talent for hair and makeup artistry to numerous theater and musical school productions.

After graduating, Mallorie attended Ball State University, where she not only took up painting with acrylics and continued honing her cosmetology skills, which she often freely offered to friends and fellow students, but also met Stephen Moore in 2010 and soon became great friends with. Stephen and Mallorie started dating in 2016 and later became engaged in 2019.  

In the ensuing years, her cosmetology career and love of nature and travel kept her busy and buoyant. And according to virtually everyone who knew her, Mallorie’s open-hearted kindness and selfless spirit made it easy to love and be inspired by her.

For example, Madison Wood, a close friend of hers, relayed: “Mallorie would do anything for anyone. She had one of the kindest hearts I’ve ever known and often volunteered her time cutting hair at the nonprofit I work for, which provides housing and care for terminally-ill people who are experiencing homelessness. Mallorie would come to the home they lived in and help them feel special and beautiful in those final days. The way they would open up and talk to her while she was cutting their hair was really amazing to watch. She had that effect on almost everyone she met.”

Another aspect of Mallorie, according to Madison, was her free-spirited nature, aptly conveyed in the following anecdote (again conveyed by Madison): 

“Late one weeknight, when Mallorie and I were freshman roommates in college, it started pouring rain. Mal looked at me and said, ‘Want to go puddle jumping?’

And I said, ‘Yes.’

So we went outside into the empty streets and played in the rain for hours. That’s Mallorie. It didn’t matter what was going on - she played in the rain and invited others to join her.”

Christi Fonfara, another one of Mallorie’s friends, had story after story to add, perhaps the most telling one regarded Mallorie’s “mature, yet fun-loving” character:

On our high school’s Senior Skip Day, she and I spent the day in downtown Indy, first going through the Bodies exhibits, with Mal finding a way to fit in some macabre jokes about the exhibits, which had me giggling inappropriately at times and laughing hysterically at others. We then dove into exploring the city and getting food, all of which, for me, made it a memorable day – not only because of the fun we had, but because it seemed special in a way. When people, as adults, compare their Senior Skip Days, they have somewhat common memories of hanging out with friends at someone’s house, perhaps with some illicit drinks or other tomfoolery. But Mal and I went and had fun and did something that was educational and memorable… which is what I now see as a relatively mature choice.”

In February of 2022, when Mallorie was diagnosed with leukemia at the age of 31, Mallorie met the news head on with that joie de vivre she possessed. Even during and after her chemo treatments, which she undertook in an Indiana hospital, Stephen said she remained a “badass.”

“Mallorie rarely complained or cried in front of me, she was very stoic about the whole situation. She just didn’t want to inconvenience anyone.”

In fact, she found she could channel that selflessness by surprising other chemo patients in the hospital—people she saw were alone or rarely visited—with gifts she herself had received, be it a soft blanket, some earrings or whatever she thought would lift the spirits of the person. And often she did this “gifting” anonymously. That’s just who she was: she sought to uplift the life experience of others wherever she went. 

Her close friend Carissa Harrington said, “Mallorie was one of my dear friends who lit up any room she walked into. I know that sounds cliche, but anyone who knew her, knows that's the truth. Mal had this indescribable presence and genuine love for life. In all the years I knew her, I never heard her speak in a negative manner toward anyone. She was loyal to a fault and would help anyone who was in need with a smile on her face.”

When Mallorie went into remission in August 2022, she got back into traveling—buying an RV and touring the Western United States to her heart’s content—as well as painting and, yes, doing hair and makeup for people. (We found out she’d randomly go to hospice centers and give haircuts and stylings to people there.)

And that traveling she did? This is where Juniper comes into the picture!

A group of Mallorie’s girlfriends—some of whom knew her in middle school, others in high school or college—got together with her and rented one of Juniper’s vacation properties in Sawyer, Michigan as a way of celebrating her life with her (as they knew they didn’t have forever with her)… and we heard they had a total blast! Surrounded by nature and relaxing in the outdoor hot tub and around the laid-back firepit—as well as delighting in the elegantly styled, yet comfy-cozy vacay home they’d booked—this gathering of friends literally had the time of their lives with Mallorie. 

Amanda and Lauren, two of the women who came, both said the trip and the time they shared brought them all together in an especially heartfelt way, even though some had lost contact with each other. They added they each felt more appreciation and gratitude for life as a result of their vacation with Mallorie.

Carissa, who also attended the gathering, agreed that being on the trip and experiencing what they did together showed how much they all do really care about each other… and upon reflection, she said it also changed how she views and treats others.

-On the last day, as Mal was packing up her things in the room, she saw a framed picture with the words “Casi Cielo” on it.  She googled it and discovered that the name means “Almost Heaven.”  She gathered the group outside by the wooden sign out front and told us what it meant and how she found out. We were all a mess, but thrilled that she got a sign that appeared to give her some peace regarding her situation. - 

In fact, all of them got tattoos of the words “Casi Cielo” as a remembrance of their reuniting for this trip together and deepening their connections of the heart and soul.

|In interviewing some of Mallorie’s girlfriends for this article, I must say their answers to my questions point to how she innocently showed them, by her own example, what life is all about.

When Mallorie’s cancer returned in December of 2022 and she went back into the hospital, the doctors suggested she undergo a stem cell transplant. Unfortunately, during the testing to proceed with the transplant, the cancer had spread to her spine and brain and she no longer qualified for the transplant. She opted to spend the rest of her time with those closest to her instead of pursuing a risky and unproven new course of treatment.

Surrounded by loved ones at home with her family, rather than doctors and nurses in a sterile hospital room, Mallorie passed away the same way she lived her extraordinary life… on her own terms.

What I see in this is a story about what matters most in life: friendship, connection and experiences that transcend the day-to-day existence we all can be numbed by.

And I can’t help but appreciate that I got to be part of this amazing story via my own passionate involvement with Juniper Holiday + Home. The fact is, I too have lost family members to cancer… and I totally understand the importance of the connection between people, that it’s truly sacred.

So I’m grateful to say that striving to nurture those sacred connections and making magic possible while people are on vacation—like Mallorie’s group—continually paying attention to literally all the details so as to make our guests’ time together extraordinary, that is what we’re all about at Juniper.

I want to applaud Mallorie’s fiancé, Stephen Moore, who was nominated as a Visionary of the Year candidate for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. This fundraising campaign is a 10-week challenge between 12 candidates in the Indianapolis area. As of May 6th, team Mal’s Pals had raised over $92,000 in just 8 weeks. LLS will name a research portfolio in honor of Mallorie. 

I also want to sincerely thank and acknowledge Carissa, who is a team member of team Mal’s Pals and put together a fundraiser page for the LLS 10-week campaign. Here’s the link and we hope you’ll consider helping their cause:

Carissa's Visionaries of the Year Fundraiser (lls.org)