Heather Marie Young

Heather Marie Wayne Young, 53
CRESTWOOD

Heather Marie Wayne Young, lived a life defined by authenticity, generosity, humor and deep compassion for others. She believes strongly in seeing others perspectives and lived by the idea that being your authentic self gives others permission to do the same because she wasn't able to physically do many things to help her family in the last part of her life being a part of writing her own obituary before she passed was a gift she hoped it would take that burden off of her family at the time of her passing. ALS may have stolen away Heather's ability to walk, talk, eat and other small miracles that we often take for granted, it cannot diminish her kindness and humor that remain fully intact and her characteristics of bravery and wisdom that only grew after her diagnosis.
Heather nicknamed ''Pooh" by her parents was born on August 2, 1972, in Louisville, Kentucky. She graduated from Moore High School in 1990 and obtained a business degree from Sullivan University. Heather enjoyed a vibrant career and various roles in her twenties but her most cherished roles in life were yet to come. Heather married Matt in 2003 and despite being told she may never be able to have children, she became the proud and devoted mother of two daughters-- Ada Rhian, born in 2007 and Drew Elise, whom Heather welcomed at age 40. Nothing in Heather's life made her prouder than her girls. She said Ada's birth made her realize that she wanted a career where she could spend more time with her so when Ada was just six months old, Heather started nursing school which led her to her most treasured vocation from 2017 until May 2024. Heather served as "Nurse Young" at South Oldham High School. To students and staff alike her office was far more than a nurse's station-- It was a warm safe and welcoming space. She kept extra clothes, hygiene, snacks and most importantly, compassion on hand for anyone who walked through her door. Heather wanted to be there for her girls when they came through those halls, and she made a last impact on countless lives young and old along the way. One former student described walking into nurse Young's office for a Band-Aid and walking out feeling healed, loved, counseled and ready to tackle life as it came. A colleague described Heather as a "partner to me and dealing with so many students with anxiety, loving- but always believing the kids could overcome whatever they were up against. I truly learned so much as a counselor from working with her." Another colleague described the unique bond she developed with one particular student with autism. This student did not speak much but managed to always ask to see Nurse Young. Heather would take time out of her day to take the student's blood pressure, temperature and pronounce her healthy and spend time making her feel "seen." That was one of the things Heather did best; making others feel seen. Months after retiring, Heather came back to visit various staff and students, and she showed some of the students with disabilities who spoke through devices that she now spoke through a device too! That one student who loved her so much was confused by Heather's wheelchair and sat on the floor near her beloved Nurse Young but would not go to her. Heather recognized this so she got out of her wheelchair -with help- and got on the floor with that student. That student immediately embraced her Nurse Young. Neither spoke. They didn't need to.
Heather 's kindness, sensitivity and sense of humor has always had a way of disarming others even in life's hardest moments. It was this among so many other qualities that drew people to Heather. Heather said she was blessed to have friends that spanned all eras of her life; high school, her twenties, work friends, dance moms and neighbors who became more like family were among this lucky group. Various friends, when asked to describe Heather remarked that she was brave, beautiful, magnetic, an example of how to live well and an example of how to die in that same way. One friend said Heather was truly "one of the greats." Heather found joy in reading, shopping and crafting and joked that she felt guilty, leaving behind so many unused craft supplies for her family to deal with. Heather cherished her large extended Wayne and Newton family and treasured moments they spent together. She shared a special bond with her big brother, Robert Allen Wayne, Jr. (Roby)-- the smartest person she knew who always looked out for her even when she "didn't deserve it." She also shared a tight bond with her dad who passed away when Heather was just 24 years old Heather proclaimed herself at "Daddy 's girl" and described him as laid-back, extremely hard-working, endlessly generous and completely non-judgmental-- qualities her mother often said Heather shared with him. Faith became an increasingly important part of Heather's life. Baptized as a baby, Heather had grown closer to God in recent years and was baptized alongside her friend Kristi in the ocean at Indian Rocks Beach, Florida on August 30, 2025, during a girl's trip with some of our cherished friends. That experience brought her peace and deepened her faith.
When asked about her ALS diagnosis, Heather said "I think my diagnosis and impending death has reminded myself and other people to appreciate the time we have on earth together and I hope to love one another more." When asked if she was afraid to die, she said she wasn't especially since growing closer to God. She said she stayed on this earth as long as she did for her beautiful daughters. Her greatest fear was not death itself but leaving her girls behind to navigate all the seasons yet to come. One life lesson Heather hoped to impart to her daughters was this: "You don't have to be perfect. You don't have to do everything right Failing is part of life. It's how you respond to failure that shapes who you are becoming and do not be afraid to ask for help."
Heather had many people waiting for her in heaven, but she was most excited to be reunited with her dad, Robert Allen Wayne, who she hadn't seen for 29 years.
Heather's favorite quote was from Winnie the Pooh: "How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard." Those left behind- who made saying goodbye so hard-include her two beautiful daughters, Ada Rhian and Drew Elise Young; her husband, Matt; her mother, Donna Newton Wayne; her brother, Robert Allen Wayne, Jr. (Shane); her nephews, Dylan Hamlin, Brandon, Bricent and Kian Wayne; the extended Wayne and Newton and Young families; and a wide circle of friends, neighbors, former coworkers, students, dance-mom and lifelong friends from every era of her life.
Funeral services will be Thursday, April 2 at 7 p.m. at Stoess Funeral Home in Crestwood.
Visitation will be from 3-7- p.m.
Memorial contributions may be made to Farmers Bank of Milton, 2207 South Highway 53/PO Box 47, LaGrange, KY 40031 in name of Heather M. Young (In Care of Robert Wayne) for the sole benefit of Ada Rhian and Drew Elise Young.