Eleven days ago, my beautiful daughter, Kayln, passed away. She was only twenty years old and her death came as a complete shock. We received a call from the hospital right before midnight on March 12. We raced down to the ICU and were told that Kayln had a condition called brain arteriovenous malformation (AVM), which is a tangle of abnormal arteries and veins. The AVM had ruptured, causing bleeding in the brain. She was non-responsive and hooked up to life support. The neurologist explained that the condition was congenital, meaning it had been there from birth, yet was not genetic.

My husband and I and our son waited for twelve hours in the ICU, hoping to see a change in her condition. Several tests were done throughout the night to determine brain function, and finally the neurologist confirmed that there was no activity. We made the decision no parent should ever have to make—to take our daughter off life support. She died at 12:21 p.m. on March 13, 2015.

We held a graveside service on March 20 for family members. After lowering her pink casket into the grave, each of us placed a pink rose on top as well as notes and mementos. Then on March 21 we had a memorial service, and close to 200 people joined us to celebrate her life.

Now we are facing the daily reality that she is no longer with us. As I journey through grief and loss, I will share my thoughts and feelings here.