Funeral for Amanda

10 years ago, Amanda was a healthy and happy 6-year-old running around with her sisters and friends laughing and enjoying life. One morning, Amanda wasn’t feeling well so she laid down to take a nap and would not wake up. She was rushed to the hospital where the staff frantically worked on stabilizing her. Minutes felt like hours. She was transferred to Joe DiMaggios Children’s Hospital in Hollywood, FL where they would be able to better treat Amanda. That day changed the life of everyone who knew her. For the next 10 years, Amanda would live her life at home with her family. She was in a permanent semi-comatose state. It is hard to explain what that means and what their daily lives were like. There were no machines helping her breathe and eat. She acknowledged and would respond to voices that she recognized. She was very much alive, just always "asleep". This past week Amanda took a turn for the worst and her Mom and sisters found themselves living the nightmare from 10 years ago all over again, only this time Amanda would not be coming home. Early Sunday morning Amanda, now 16, was gone. Her Mom made the decision that she was not going to let her death be in vain and she signed the organ donor paperwork. We are happy to know that even in death Amanda is still going to help others live and that there will be parts of her living on in this world. Now comes the hard part, the funeral. Her Mom is a single Mom with 3 daughters. She works hard to provide for them but with mounting medical expenses and now this, a funeral is not something she can afford. PLEASE help us give this precious girl the final farewell she so deserves.