4 Sisters from Middletown Suffer Cancer Nightmare

Five Jersey Girls. They grew up the loving daughters of parents, loving sisters to each other, and with a great love for the world and for music. Then not one... not two,..not three...but 4 of them were diagnosed with cancer. 

The story gets worse. One of those sisters (BethAnne), who had ovarian cancer, sadly lost her battle earlier this year. Another (Lori) is currently in the fight for her life with stage-4 breast cancer. One sister (Kathi) is in remission from breast cancer. The fourth sister (Chrissy) does not have cancer but is a hospital nurse working day and night to save lives on the frontlines of the Covid-19 crisis even as she mourns the loss of one sister and the nightmare of having another sister battling to survive.

Oh yeah, and these sisters also lost their mom to cancer (dad died of lupus), as well as a half-sister (Debbie) to cancer.

The Praydick sisters grew up in Leonardo, NJ. They went to Leonardo grade school, Bayshore junior high, and graduated from Middletown South High School. You can still run into them frequently as they spend time with their nephew, Paul, who is only 17 years old (an only child) and lost BOTH of his parents to cancer. He is going into his senior year at Middletown North.

Paul's mom, BethAnne Clayton (one of the Praydick sisters), was a well-known and much loved singer here at the Jersey Shore who was frequently on stage with Tim McLoone and the Shirleys and at Holiday Express concerts, as well as in several of her own bands up and down the shore. She was also back and forth to Nashville as part of the group Queen of Hearts. But most of all she loved her son Paul and was so proud to have raised him to love music. He is one of the most talented up-and-coming bass players in NJ and beyond with a singing voice to match. When he and his mom would harmonize, you'd be in tears.

BethAnne lost her battle just a few months ago, leaving Paul without a parent (his dad died a couple of years ago, also of cancer.)

Now Lori, the oldest of the remaining sisters, is fighting as hard as she can to beat this awful disease. She thought twice in the past that she had conquered the cancer, but the stress of traveling back and forth and putting off her own care in order to help her sister BethAnne, then watching her succumb, took its toll. Lori's cancer is once again spreading.

Lori Praydick Agnew has a loving husband who is right by her side during her battle, as well as an amazingly talented adult son, Clay, who sends songs to him mom to serenade her during treatments. Lori has a strong faith and believes in miracles. She is determined to do whatever it takes to be here for her family. Your prayers are appreciated and if you have been connected in any way with this family throughout the years or would like to show your support and send a message, CLICK HERE.

Our hearts also go out to Kathi Praydick Meo and Chrissy Praydick Adamo, as well as (always) to Paul Reinhold, BethAnne's 17-year old son, who has shown amazing resilience as he navigates through life surrounded by so many people who love him, but without his mom and dad. Donations to Paul can be given by CLICKING HERE.

I can't even imagine what this family is going through emotionally. Check out this song that begins with the sisters, as children, singing together and transitions into BethAnne Clayton's magical voice. I'm not crying. You're crying.