When she was born, the medical community at BC Children’s Hospital said she’d be lucky if she saw her 2nd birthday. This past September, she celebrated her Sweet Sixteen.
Brooklyn joined our family in 2006, when she moved in with my Mom and Step-Dad (Ma’am and Papa). She quickly stole their hearts, and effectively wedged her little behind into the lives of everyone she met.
She loved swimming, music, and ice cream cake.
She loved to watch the laundry (yes, that is watch, not wash), and was happiest when she was being a “big helper” – even though most of the time, like most kids, she was far from actually helping.
Brooklyn loved her family. She loved life and she fought hard for it, right up to the very end. She figuratively flipped the bird to all her doubters, and hung on until Thursday morning, when she decided it was finally time to let go.
Brooklyn taught us a new kind of unconditional love, and because of her, my boys learned the invaluable lesson of acceptance and inclusion, and that deep down, we’re really not all that different.
RIP Brooklyn. You’ve touched more lives than you’ll ever know, and you’re already missed very much.
I took a few pictures just after Christmas, when Mister and I took the boys over to Children’s Hospital to visit for the day. We spent a few hours in the play room there, and even though the situation wasn’t ideal, I’m glad the boys got to see her one last time.
And because I feel the need to end this on a less sad note, someone came across this snapshot of Brooklyn, taken when we think she was about 4yrs old – it was when she first learned to walk. I took a picture of it with my phone because I can’t get over how ADORABLE she is in this photo… I think it’s my favorite.
In lieu of flowers, donations to the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation are gratefully accepted.
