This has been a terrible, terrible week. Last Thursday, an old friend died of a heart attack at the age of 42, leaving behind his wife and two young children.
Tonight, it is with a heavy heart that I post this: I've just been informed that Kathleen Edwards, the brave little girl suffering from Huntington's Disease who was tormented for months by a sick, depraved neighbor last year, passed away earlier this evening.
I'm not going to rehash the backstory again; most of it is too ugly and is simply inappropriate to go into right now. Anyone interested can read my diaries from October 8, 2010, June 20, 2011 and June 22, 2011.
None of that is relevant anymore. Her 24-year-old mother, Laura passed away from Huntington's a couple of years ago, and now little Kathleen, just 9 years old, has joined her.
The community and the whole world rallied in support of Kathleen and her family when the story went viral; a local toy store owner gave her an anything-she-wanted toy shopping spree, with the whole town coming out in support:
Her father, Robert Edward, set up a website a few months back to raise awareness and support for Huntington's Disease research.
Here's a direct link to the donation page of the Huntington's Disease Society of America.
Here's a direct link to the donation page of the Michigan Chapter of the HDSA.
But, for the moment, none of that really matters. All that matters tonight is that a precious little girl has died.
Be at peace, little one.
Update: The Detroit News has posted an article about Kathleen's passing this morning. I didn't even realize that she had 2 younger sisters as well--Ashley is 5, and Maddison is 2:
Wyandotte— About two years after her battle with Huntington's Disease garnered national attention because she endured taunts from a neighbor, 9-year-old Kathleen Edward has died.
Her father, Robert Edward, said Kathleen died at 10:07 p.m. Wednesday at their Wyandotte home.
"The world remembers her smile and will never forget it," he said Thursday morning. "She would do anything for anybody. She never complained — never."
Ashley Edward, 5, has been looking at the sky since Wednesday night trying to talk to her sister, her father said.
...
In addition to Ashley, Kathleen had a 2-year-old sister named Maddison.