The Pewaukee girl, whom people around the world rallied to celebrate her final birthday in December, died Saturday
About a month and a half after Delaney Krings, the Pewaukee girl fighting an aggressive form of brain cancer, celebrated her "final birthday", her mother wrote on CaringBridge on Saturday that Delaney died earlier that day.
The nation and even the world rallied behind Delaney and her family when word got out that Delaney would be celebrating her "final birthday" on Dec. 16. Delaney turned 5.
"Our Sweet Angel Baby has gained her wings. Fly high, my sweet baby," Delaney's mother, Heather, wrote on CaringBridge, where she has posted updates on her daughter's cancer fight since Oct. 26.
Strangers, friends, her family and business owners offered cards, food, blankets, gifts, gift certificates for special places and other tributes to help Delaney celebrate what was coined her final birthday. A parade, organized by the Wisconsin Truck Takeover Enthusiasts, amassed 498 vehicles and parade participants.
Amazon and UPS drivers made multiple trips a day with birthday packages and care packages for the family leading up to her birthday. People drove from out of state to deliver gifts, cards and food to the family, and thousands of people around the world sent birthday cards, said Sharon Tomlinson, the family's real estate agent and close friend, who helped organized a birthday card drive.
People traveled out of state to deliver gifts. Video tributes were sent and posted on Facebook, including people and groups of children singing inspirational songs and posting it on the For the Love of Delaney Facebook page.
Her family, friends and community spent the remaining time with Delaney telling her and sharing how much Delaney is loved.
'Softly telling her how much she is cherished'
When Delaney was diagnosed with a large, aggressive brain tumor in October and was soon after told it was terminal, her family ― which includes her father Jack, her mother and an older brother and sister ― gave her happiness in her last few weeks before she died.
Her mother said on CaringBridge that the kind of cancer she had was diffuse midline glioma or known as DMG.
The condition was discovered after Delaney had an ear infection, something her mother said she had a lot of as a child. Once her ear infection was healing, Delaney kept losing her balance, and her parents knew something was not right.
"The type of cancer she has, DMG, has very little positive response to any current treatment available. In addition to the severity and size of her tumor when it was first found basically sealed her fate just 12 short weeks ago. I have read medical textbooks, research papers, etc. etc. etc. for months and have found very little hope in any of them," her mother wrote on a CaringBridge post.
"Anytime she is awake ― which is getting more limited and farther between ― we make sure she sees our faces and hears us softly telling her how much she is cherished. We still get the occasional point, wave or snap to let us know her preferences," her mother wrote on Jan. 23.
Her mother's words of advice to others as she posted on a Jan. 5 CaringBridge post are: "Hug your people, love your people, don’t take a minute for granted as it is not guaranteed."
"She doesn’t deserve this lot in life. She has been the easiest baby, the sweetest toddler, the most loving and energetic, curious little girl. She has brought so much love and happiness into this world and has made such a positive impact for so many," she wrote on CaringBridge on Jan. 23.
She also said on CaringBridge on Jan. 5 that her hope is " for her legacy to be a ripple of simple acts of kindness. This world needs more love in it, and I believe that is what she was put here to provide. Love, pure and simple."
To support Delaney's family
Delaney's GoFundMe is www.gofundme.com/f/delaney-krings
More:How this Franklin woman with stage 4 cancer is helping others 'Live 4 Today'
Cathy Kozlowicz can be reached at 262-361-9132 or cathy.kozlowicz@jrn.com. Follow her on Twitter at @kozlowicz_cathy.
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Pewaukee girl Delaney Krings dies from brain cancer
