Funeral Donations for the Angelic Diedra Tyrell

Hello,

I am so happy that you are here.

Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Shakima Tyrell; a 37-year-old single mom of 5 and a senior at Clayton State University in Morrow, GA. I am currently studying Biology with a minor in Chemistry and am due to graduate with my undergraduate B.S. degree in the Fall of 2023. My future goal is to get accepted into Howard University to pursue a career as an Orthodontist to provide a more durable and profound lifestyle for my family, but unfortunately, life has now taken a sudden and unimaginable turn as my sister, Diedra Tyrell lost the battle to a glioblastoma tumor on March 30th, 2023 leaving behind four of her surviving children and I would like the opportunity to count on you for financial support as I am raising money and to help cover the costs of the airfare tickets to allow her children to say their final goodbyes on Saturday, April 22nd, 2023. I have attached the cost per person and information for the preferred flight.

Diedra JnNee Tyrell was born and raised in the beautiful Virgin Islands of St. Thomas on May 16, 1985, to Kerrie Lee Trotman. Kerrie was a single mom striving each day to keep food on the table. I remember Kerrie worked multiple jobs to provide for all her 5 children as well as her mother and 2 sisters. Diedra was the 3rd child born to Kerrie and she had the most outgoing personality any sister would be gifted to have. She loved to laugh and play. We would do any and everything together especially going outside when we were told not to. Diedra was well-known throughout her school years because she was the friendliest of the bunch. Kerrie went through a long history of domestic violence from our biological father and therefore, she lost her ability to foster emotional intelligence and struggled to connect deeply with herself as well as her children. As a young teenage girl growing up in society, the desire to find love and happiness became more than a dream for my sister, it became her ultimate mission. On Feb 19th, 2008, she gave birth to her firstborn son, and she immediately embraced and nurtured him with the strength she needed to thrive, and she became resilient with her mom title as she later expanded her family throughout the years. 2018, after hurricanes Irma and Maria destroyed many of the homes in the Virgin Islands, Diedra’s decision to relocate her and her 3 children to Orlando Florida for a stable and promising future was the next focus in her life.

How it all began? It all began with mild to moderate headaches. As per usual, she like most individuals assumed it to be normal because of the hormone levels during pregnancy. But as the weeks had gone by, she was going to bed with debilitating headaches, so she brought her concern to her Obstetrician at her weekly check-up and was referred to have an MRI and was shocked by the radiologists’ findings. Diedra was diagnosed with a rare and low-grade brain stem glioma tumor that is commonly found in children. At the time of diagnosis, she was 28 weeks pregnant and because of her inability to conceptualize the medical terms and conditions on a scholarly level, she did not understand the tumor to be malignant. Diedra was then given steroids to help with the inflammation and the fetal development of her unborn son. There was also fluid found surrounding her brain. On August 11th, 2022, around 32 weeks gestation, her water bag broke and the medical professionals decided on an emergency c-section to prevent putting pressure on the brain, and it was a success. Her newborn weighed 4 lb, 10 oz, and remained in the NICU for 3 weeks until he could swallow on his own.

After the diagnosis and delivery of her newborn, her neurologist recommended that she start radiation with chemo (30 rounds of treatment) to shrink the tumor when it was communicated to the family, there, it raised a cause for concern, and it was then we understood the tumor to in fact be cancerous. On September 21st, day 5 of treatment, her body quickly declined, and she was hospitalized losing all functionalities to life. 2 hours after being admitted into Advent health hospital and cancer institution in Orlando Fl, the family received a phone call from one of the medical professional’s that made us aware that Diedra was placed on a ventilator to assist with her oxygen and that we needed to prepare for her homegoing. Without a doubt in our minds and without hesitation, the family requested to keep her on the ventilator and fight alongside her, and with one breath of exhale I immediately became the caregiver and legal guardian of her four surviving children (15 (male, 10 female, 8 male & 8-month male) on top of my 5 children.

On December 9th, I brought my sister to Atlanta ga, where she received a month's care at Grady memorial hospital. It was then it was discovered that she had 6 months or less to live and was discharged under Hospice to live out the remainder of her days. I became my sister's caregiver, advocate, dietician, and legal guardian. She was placed on a raw fruits and vegetable diet and physically, she had the vitality of someone who wasn't terminally ill but the mass of the tumor eventually blocked off the pathways of her central nervous system and it was then that her health got worst. I had hoped that I could maybe reverse some of the damages and so I quit school, researched immensely, and focused on her 24/7. could you imagine the trauma I dealt with having to often wonder if my sister taking her last breath in front of her children would be plausible and so I chose to call 911 at the times I saw that she was labored breathing. Diedra was determined to fight for her kids. She was grateful for the support and love received throughout the short 2-months she was home from the hospital. I fought hard alongside her and we have so many memories together. I am no hero, she is. she was so strong and resilient through it all. She never felt sorry for herself and she trusted me to take care of her kids and she transitioned peacefully. I miss her so much and I would do anything to have her back.

Everyone knows how awful cancer is, and how many have lost their lives to it. Many of you have reached out to us and have asked how you can help us during this time. We really want to honor Diedra's wishes and plan the celebration of life that she expressed wanting before she passed away. She wished for her burial at her birthplace surrounded by the presence and support of her children. If you are able to and comfortable doing so, her children and I would really appreciate any donation, big or small, towards her celebration of life.

Thank you for your time