Our sweet Kelsey ascended on July 3, 2023 after complications from a prolonged seizure. She was ten years old. At the age of two she was diagnosed as epileptic with seizures that occur as nonconvulsive status epilepticus – a very rare and dangerous condition which was controlled with medication until her death when she had a break-through seizure triggered by a high fever caused by a viral infection.

Though her earthly life was short, her days were full of joy, friendship, adventure, creativity, and love. She was hard-working, generous, sensitive and compassionate, constantly in service to others. Her creativity was impossible to contain; it flowed out of her with such force. She would build up and out as she explored what was possible from her imagination with an incredible range of tools and materials. Finding her creations around the house was a constant source of surprise and joy for us.

We believe what was most unique and wonderful about our Kelsey was her relationship with others. She was sensitive to social dynamics and knew how to include others in meaningful ways. She gave her attention with such grace and generosity, and was always figuring out new ways to be of service to others. Kelsey was also particularly sensitive to those she felt were being mistreated. In school it was said that she would be the first to make new students feel accepted and she had no issue befriending strangers.

She was especially fond of younger children including her younger cousins Astrid, Alice, Barrett, and Audrey. She also had a special love and place in her heart for her younger brother, Parker, who she loved fiercely! After Parker was born and Kelsey was almost three years old I jokingly asked her, "Should we return him?" and she burst into tears, "Noooo!"
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A few of Kelsey's many interests included baking, cats, crafting, chickens, tiny things for her Big Eyed Beanie Boo Cat Club Collection, making stop motion videos, running barefoot in inclement weather, creating winged snakes out of hot glue and beads with her good friend Lilwen, stay-lates with her friends, assisting with children during prayers and Bahá'í children's classes, playing with her cousins, bouncing on the trampoline, making scavenger hunts and relay races for her family, decorating ornate cakes and cookies for friends and family, playing board games and videos games (with the exception of “Exploding Kittens”) with her friends at school and her family at meals, Mario party before bedtime with her brother and parents, being read to while drawing each night with her mom and brother, snuggling with her dad each night before bed, and laughing at her silly cats (Gnocchi and Cocoa), painting nails, experimenting with make-up, sneaking chocolate and taste-testing batter, engaging in service projects with her community and individually, wearing leopard print clothes or cat ears at all times, sewing, swimming in any temperature or form of water, traveling, rock climbing with her dad and friends, Taekwondo, climbing on the rocks in Maine, face painting, jumping into pools or the ocean fully clothed, jumping from cushion to cushion on the couches, drawing how-to-illustrations and activity books for others, planning birthday celebrations and giving birthday gifts, being a little mischievous and silly with close friends, drawing illustrations on her iPad while watching shows, feeding apples to our wild deer, creating ziplines for her stuffed animals, building extravagant homes out of magnetic blocks for her hatchimals or magic mixlings, collecting rocks and shells, stuffing her purse with small activities and treats, and caring for all animals.