Mom of 10-year-old girl who had terminal cancer reveals her heartbreaking goodbye to grandfather
Lizzy's grandfather assured her he'd see her in heaven
The mother of a little girl who died of cancer at just 10 years old has shared 'deeply personal' footage of the emotional moment she said goodbye to her grandfather.
Elizabeth Joy Wampler, who was known as Lizzy, passed away in March 2018 after being diagnosed with a pediatric bone cancer called osteosarcoma, but her mom, Jennifer, continues to share her story through social media and Lizzy's Walk of Faith Foundation.
Lizzy was in fourth grade when she began to experience pains that caused her to walk with a limp, and after undergoing an X-ray, an MRI and a biopsy, medics confirmed that she had cancer.
The disease initially hadn't spread, giving Lizzy a 70 percent chance of survival. She underwent surgery to remove five inches of her right femur before starting intense treatment, which her mom said 'took everything out of her'.
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Speaking to People about her daughter, Jennifer said: "She never stopped smiling, never stopped loving others. But the day before her ‘No More Chemo’ party, we got the call that changed everything.”
Tragically, Lizzy's cancer had returned and left her with a survival chance of just 20 percent.
In a post on the TikTok page for Lizzy's foundation, Jennifer explained her decision to share the 'moving video' of Lizzy speaking with her grandfather, which the mom described as being captured 'during one of the hardest times [their] family has faced'.
"It’s a video of my beloved daughter Lizzy saying goodbye to her dear pop pop," Jennifer said. "Just seven years ago, Lizzy was given only two more weeks to live, and we gathered all the family members we could to be by her side.
"Unfortunately, my father-in-law, having undergone heart surgery, was unable to see her one last time. I recorded this emotional moment intending to share it with him, but the pain was too great for him to watch.
"Remembering Lizzy’s courage and grace during her struggle with osteosarcoma reminds us of the urgency and importance to find a cure for this dreadful disease."
In the video, Lizzy tells her grandfather she's going to miss him, to which he responds that he'll 'see her again'.
"I'll see you in heaven," he adds.
Lizzy's grandfather has since also passed away.
Jennifer told People that the family initially didn't tell Lizzy she might die as they were 'clinging to hope', but as time went on it became 'harder to protect her from the truth'.
“We were seeing other families lose their children, and Lizzy saw that too. The reality of what could happen became clearer, even without us saying it outright," she continued. "She was incredibly intuitive. She knew.”
As for the moment captured in the video with Lizzy and her grandfather, Jennifer said: "It was heartbreaking – but it was filled with love.”
Following her death, Lizzy chose to donate her body to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in the hope that it might lead to a cure for the cancer she'd had. While doctors said a full donation wasn’t possible, her tumors were saved for research.
Jennifer said: “Even in death, Lizzy wanted to give. She wanted her story – and her sacrifice – to help save someone else’s child.”
To help continue Lizzy's legacy, the family now host a 5k every year to raise money, known as Lizzy’s Walk of Faith 5K Walk/Run. You can also visit Lizzy's foundation website here.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence about cancer, contact the American Cancer Society on 1-800-227-2345 or via their live chat feature, available 24/7 every day of the year.
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact GrieveWell on (734) 975-0238, or email [email protected].
Emily Brown