Emily Madison Velazquez (Funeral-Burial Expenses)

Update:

Funeral Information (Emily's Celebration of Life) on Saturday, July 16, 2022.

11am - 1pm (Viewing/Visitation)

1pm - 2pm (Emily's Celebration of Life/Service)

2pm - 2:45pm (Burial/Committal Service)

Please go to the following link for the itinerary (times, location, flower donation, etc.):

Baldwin-Fairchild Oaklawn Chapel & Cemetery

Hi, my name is Eddie (Disabled Gulf War Veteran), and I’m fundraising for my youngest daughter Emily’s Funeral & Burial expenses. On July 3, 2022, Emily became an Angel as she passed away at the Nemours Hospital in Orlando, FL.

Our 14-year-old daughter Emily is the most compassionate & loving soul I have ever met. She was indeed our Warrior Princess and Our Golden Child. Emily loved playing the piano and ukulele, cooking, painting, swimming, driving golf carts, traveling, nature, and her dogs. Emily was also wise; well beyond her years, she will always be with us.

Medical History

Emily first noticed a sharp pain in her right leg during her 12th birthday, which also fell on Father’s Day that year. Then on July 2, 2020, Emily was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma (bone cancer). After several months of chemotherapy, she underwent limb-saving surgery, when a 14-inch cancer tumor was removed from her right leg and replaced with a 22-inch expandable prosthesis. Unfortunately, a short time afterward, cancer spread to her lungs, which required Emily to undergo additional rounds of chemotherapy and surgery once again to remove almost 30 cancer nodules from both lungs.

After Emily recovered from those surgeries, cancer again returned to the lungs, more aggressive than ever. Emily now had to endure new experimental medication and seek medical trials in Cleveland, New York, Houston, North Carolina, and Philadelphia. Ultimately, nothing was able to slow down the disease progression.

Emily fought valiantly against this aggressive form of Metastatic Osteosarcoma for two years (July 2, 2020 – July 3, 2022), but the multitude of lung nodules completely collapsed both lungs. Meanwhile, Emily rarely complained, although she struggled with breathing, especially for the last three months.

Now, I have to navigate through something I never would wish on anyone, arranging for your youngest child's funeral. So far, we reached out to the following funeral home to pick up Emily's body from the hospital, and she is now at the Baldwin-Fairchild Oaklawn Chapel & Oaklawn Cemetery in Sanford, FL.

This morning I had an appointment with the funeral director and learned that the Funeral expenses will total $18,229 ($6,020 for Funeral Services, $8709 for Burial Services, & $3,500 for a gravestone/marker). This money is due by 7/13/22, before the funeral scheduled for Saturday, 7/16/22. I was given the contracts/statements for the Funeral Services and the Burial Services, but the gravestone contract will be completed next week.

My wife was recently laid off from her job after eight years, but I believe it may have been a blessing in disguise because it gave her more time to spend with Emily in the last two months of her life. As for me, I'm a 100% disabled veteran; therefore, we would greatly appreciate any financial assistance towards Emily's funeral expenses.

Thank you again for being part of Team Emily.

Eddie Velazquez (Proud Dad) USMC