On Saturday, May 10, 2025, my daughter — my baby girl — Chandelier Gaines, was taken from this world in a tragic car accident. She was only 24 years old. Just like that, her light went out.

Chandelier was more than just my daughter. She was the joy in every room, the laugh that made others laugh, the hug that lingered when you needed it most. She was bold, beautiful, and bigger than life. She didn’t walk into a room — she lit it up. She was the heartbeat of every gathering and the calm in every storm. I’m not just saying this because I’m her father. Anyone who met her will tell you the same.

Chandelier knew pain. She lost her mother and her baby sister when she was just a toddler — both were murdered by a family member. She never had a chance to grow up in a traditional way. But she never let that destroy her. Me, her grandmother, and my brothers did the best we could to raise her with love and teach her how to survive with grace. And somehow, through everything, she grew into the most selfless, giving soul. She’d give you her last dollar, the shirt off her back — no questions asked. She had a heart that couldn’t say no to anyone in need.

Despite all the loss and trauma she carried, she pushed herself to finish school and earn her diploma. That was one of the proudest days of my life — watching her walk across that stage with that radiant smile of hers.

Chandelier didn’t have any children of her own, but she was a mother in spirit. She loved kids and poured that love into her godchildren, always making them feel like the center of the universe.

Now, I’m faced with something no parent is ever prepared for — saying goodbye to my child. My heart is broken, and the weight of burying my baby is more than emotional — it’s financial. I want to give Chandelier the beautiful, dignified homegoing she deserves. She gave so much to others in her short life — I want to give her a resting place that reflects that same love and light.

If you’re reading this and feel moved, please consider donating anything you can to help me lay my daughter to rest. No amount is too small. And if you can’t give, please share her story — so her name, her light, and her legacy continue to live on.

Thank you for taking the time to read about my baby girl. Thank you for holding space for her, and for me.

With love and gratitude,

Labrone (Chandelier’s Dad)