Losing a kid causes anguish unlike any other. That kind of anguish is unlike any other and, regrettably, it never goes away.
Many people are devastated to learn that their children have a particular illness or condition, and while fighting those illnesses can be difficult and draining, as long as parents are aware that there is a chance for their child to recover, they will never give up.
When Adalynn “Addy” Sooter was just four years old, her rare brain stem tumor, diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG), was discovered. The family was warned to prepare for the worst because, regrettably, the prospects were slim.
As the cancer spread after 18 months, Addy’s health deteriorated quickly. Her father Matt launched a Facebook page to chronicle his daughter’s journey, and on it, he wrote: “Addy’s symptoms have worsened significantly over the past day and a half. She was her lively, jovial self when she got up yesterday. Although we occasionally still see our girl, she is no longer able to eat or swallow without difficulty, and she now spends most of her time sleeping, so we have admitted her to inpatient care. She probably doesn’t have a lot of time left.”
Additionally, Matt requested prayers for their son Jackson, who was having a very difficult time dealing with his sister’s illness. A young child shouldn’t have to say goodbye to his playmate, closest friend, and younger sister, according to Matt.
Jackson stayed at his sister’s side nonstop. Up until the very end, he was by her side. One night, Addy went suddenly just as he was saying farewell to his little sister and telling her once more how much he loved her.
Devastated Mark posted the tragic news on the Addy-specific page.
She transitioned from this life to the next in exactly the same way she had lived—stubbornly, yet calmly and in the company of her loved ones. The last line of the post stated, “She wasn’t in any agony. “While this is only a temporary farewell, our baby girl is greatly missed,”
The family gave Addy’s tumors, both brain and spine, to science in “hopes of preventing future children from a similar fate.”
They explained their decision in a Facebook post, saying, “Our sweet girl loved helping people and giving gifts so we thought this would be an excellent way to show her giving heart.”
