Heaven gained an angel in January.
Yvonne Fedderson passed away peacefully, leaving behind a world forever changed by her kindness, her courage, and the extraordinary life she shared with her dearest friend, Sara O’Meara. She was over ninety years old. Always impeccably dressed. Always radiant. And always part of one of the greatest love stories ever told.
Not a romantic love story. A love story of friendship.
Yvonne and Sara met as young Hollywood starlets, barely out of their teens, standing under studio lights with their lives just beginning. Yvonne was already part of The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. Sara had just graduated from the Pasadena Playhouse, newly arrived in Hollywood, bright eyed and full of hope. They were beautiful, ambitious, and surrounded by opportunity, but what bound them together went far deeper than fame.
They recognized something in one another immediately. A shared faith. A shared moral compass. A belief that life was meant to be lived in service to others. What began as a friendship between two young women in Hollywood would quietly grow into a partnership that would span decades and save millions of lives.
For more than sixty years, they moved through life side by side. From Hollywood soundstages to war torn countries. From moments of glamour to moments of profound heartbreak. From the height of success to the quiet comfort of daily routines shared under one roof. Even well into their nineties, they were always dressed to the nines, embodying a kind of elegance that came not just from style, but from purpose.
Together, they volunteered at Hollywood Presbyterian Church and performed on USO tours, traveling to military bases and camps to lift the spirits of soldiers far from home. It was during one of those tours that their lives changed forever.
In 1959, while on a USO Goodwill Tour to Japan following a devastating typhoon, they encountered eleven orphaned children huddled together in the cold. No shoes. No warm clothing. No parents. When asked where their mothers and fathers were, the children could only say there was no one.
Sara and Yvonne did not turn away. They brought the children back to their hotel room. Hid them. Fed them. Protected them. When ordered to remove the children, they refused. Instead, they searched for help until they found a woman named Mama Kin who agreed to take the children in if Sara and Yvonne promised they would help.
That promise became their life’s work.
They returned to Hollywood and used their influence not for themselves, but for children who had no voice. Friends like Bob Hope, Dolores Hope, Debbie Reynolds, and Phyllis Diller rallied behind them. Yvonne even dated Elvis Presley for a time, remembering him as kind, respectful, and deeply supportive of their mission. Fame was never the point. Impact was.
Their work expanded to Vietnam, where they helped build orphanages, hospitals, and schools for children left behind by war. During Operation Babylift in 1975, they helped evacuate hundreds of children to safety. Every child they brought to the United States was adopted. Every life carried forward their devotion.
When their focus turned to child abuse in America, it was Nancy Reagan who told them they were exactly the women meant to take it on. With support from President and Mrs. Reagan, Childhelp was born and grew into one of the nation’s leading organizations dedicated to protecting abused and neglected children.
Through it all, Sara and Yvonne remained inseparable.
When both of their husbands passed away, there was no question of what came next. They moved in together. Not out of convenience, but out of love. Their home became a sanctuary filled with photographs, letters, laughter, and decades of shared memories. They shared breakfasts and dinners. Old movies and quiet prayers. Gentle teasing and deep gratitude. They were closer than sisters. Chosen family. Life partners in purpose.
Together, they helped more than thirteen million children. But numbers will never fully capture what they gave. What they gave was themselves.
Now, one lives without the other.
Sara O’Meara carries forward not only a mission, but a lifetime of love, faith, and friendship that does not end with death. Yvonne’s presence remains in every child protected, every family healed, and every life touched by Childhelp.
This was the greatest love story of friendship ever told. One built over decades. One that saved millions. One that now lives on in heaven, and in the woman who remains.
19th Annual Childhelp Wings Fashion Show
Sunday, May 3, 2026 | 10AM–2PM
The Phoenician, Camelback Ballroom
The Childhelp Wings Fashion Show and Luncheon returns Sunday, May 3, 2026, to The Phoenician’s Camelback Ballroom for a fashion-forward afternoon with purpose. This year’s theme, America’s Future All Stars: We Play for a Purpose, celebrates sports, family, and the next generation, timed with the celebration of America’s 250th anniversary.
Emceed by PVCL’s Nadine Bubeck, the 19th annual event will honor founding mother Carol Hebets and the enduring legacy of Childhelp founders Sara O’Meara and the late Yvonne Fedderson.
Organizers are currently seeking influential community leaders, athletes, and public figures to participate in this year’s runway, adding a meaningful layer of visibility and impact to the event. If you want to learn more, email nadine.bubeck@citylifestyle.com
Tickets: wingsfashionshow.org
19th Annual Childhelp Wings Fashion Show
Sunday, May 3, 2026 | 10AM–2PM
The Phoenician, Camelback Ballroom
The Childhelp Wings Fashion Show and Luncheon returns Sunday, May 3, 2026, to The Phoenician’s Camelback Ballroom for a fashion-forward afternoon with purpose. This year’s theme, America’s Future All Stars: We Play for a Purpose, celebrates sports, family, and the next generation, timed with the celebration of America’s 250th anniversary.
Emceed by PVCL’s Nadine Bubeck, the 19th annual event will honor founding mother Carol Hebets and the enduring legacy of Childhelp founders Sara O’Meara and the late Yvonne Fedderson. Organizers are currently seeking influential community leaders, athletes, and public figures to participate in this year’s runway, adding a meaningful layer of visibility and impact to the event.
wingsfashionshow.org