Kathleen and Her Mom Laura
9 year old and 24 year old Angels
Kathleen and her Mom Laura, she lost her Mom and now recently lost her battle to jhd at the age of 9.
They are heartbroken. They’ve always known this day would come, yet it has still taken everybody by surprise. Nine year old Kathleen Edwards took a turn for the worse a couple days ago, but she was peaceful and smiling at the very end.
“She was an angel and she did bring a lot of joy and happiness to
everybody,” said Rebecca Rose.
She was by her granddaughter’s side as Kathleen passed away peacefully Wednesday night at her home surrounded by families and
friends after hitting her head and getting an infection.
“We whispered in her ear and told her,”Go be with your Mommy,” Rose explained. “She really did have this glow about her. She really looked like an angel laying there, and she opened her eyes and took her last breath.”
Kathleen had Juvenile Huntington’s Disease, a degenerative brain disease that also took the life of her Mother.
- Kathleen and her Mom Laura
Laura loved Elephants and Kathleen loved Dogs and Elephants and Teddy Bears
We first met Kathleen in 2010 when she was the victim of cruel taunts on Facebook. Her grandmother’s neighbor, Jennifer Petkov, posted a picture of Kathleen with a skull and crossbones and a photo of her mother, Laura, in the arms of the Grim Reaper.
When confronted, Petkov was far from apologetic.
The story went viral and the family was flooded with support for Kathleen. There was a trip to a toy store fit for a princess, a visit from the Detroit Tiger’s mascot, and a huge festival to raise awareness about Huntington’s Disease organized by family friend Michelle Yerigian.
“Kathleen taught us about HD, and with everything that the family went through, I think that her legacy
- Kathleen and Her Mom And Grandma
would be of hope. Our hearts are all broke, but we also know that she’s not suffering anymore,” she said. “I think that Kathleen made us all better people.”
Facebook, once a forum for a bully and then a site for support, is now full of sympathy and condolences for a family whose little angel is now in heaven.
“Now she’s with her Mother. That’s the only consolation in this whole thing is now she’s with her Mother,” said Rose.
Rebecca Rose and Kathleen’s Father and Stepmother want to thank everyone who has supported them through this ordeal. They’re grateful that in Kathleen’s short life, she taught so many people compassion and kindness.
Daily Mail Kathleen Taunting Fox Taunting
MLive Taunting ABC News Cyberbullying
CBS Cyberbullying Passed Away Washington Post Kathleen Passes
im so sorry
My heart goes out to this family. I have lost multiple family members to Huntington’s and Juvenile Huntington’s. It’s never easy