Our story began just like many others. We were a growing family, raising our children in a small, tucked-away country town where our family, friends, and community meant everything. Our lives overflowed with joy and an unwavering, steady sense of hope. Our family is bound by tradition with roots that run deep with memories and stories that carry us through time. Love lives in all we do and, all we continue to believe in. The heart of our family will always be our daughter, one exceptional little girl, named Emmalee Ingrid Bryan. Her name carries the memory of those who shaped our hearts and hold us with so much meaning. We call her Emma, a name that signifies "whole and entirety." She embodied a wholeness and a reflection of love in its most complete form. She changed how we saw each moment, reminding us of the immeasurable gifts held within every life. With deep gratitude, we share our journey, one rooted in honesty, trust and in every act of devotion. A story of unconditional love that moved us beyond thought. Through this love, Emma blossomed and her life became more beautiful than we could have ever imagined. Our family was her shelter, and our community became the heart of her story. Every day, in her gestures, she showed a quiet expression of her love for all of us. Her hand placed over her hand over her heart was her way of saying "I Love You."  In every kiss blown from her fingertips, she sent a silent message saying, "I am thankful for you."  At every meal, she bowed her head in reverent prayer honoring those around her. You see, she did not need words, her presence alone radiated love in its purest form. Each moment with her became a treasure, and each treasure became the memory we now hold safe in our hearts. She will always be our light that remains steady even when circumstances have changed.   ​Like so many summers before, July had always brought warmth and rhythm to our days but on this particular morning circumstances did change, and our family was met with a life-changing moment that would stay with us forever.  We were faced with the kind of devastation no one is ever prepared for, an emergency that abruptly rewrote our story leaving us in a deep sorrow to deep for words. Emma, unexpectedly, had no choice but to fight for her life. As she was rushed to the hospital, she held on with an astonishing strength, but even her incredible spirit surrendered. Loved ones gathered in the hospital room shocked by what had just occurred. The curtains were drawn, lights were dimmed and everything became still. There has never been a time that tested our hearts more than the day when we had to say goodbye and leave the hospital without her. The drive home was silent, mirroring the sadness in our hearts. We cradled in our hand's lockets of her golden-brown hair, representing her spirit and the fragile reminder of a thread that would forever bind us. ​Loss, sorrow and grief arrived without consent and uninvited, demanding more of us then we ever thought our hearts could bear. It called on our humility and deep strength. The days that followed were difficult, but a deeper purpose helped carry us through. We needed to find the resilience and lift ourselves up, to honor Emma's life with meaning in the way she deserved. Family, friends and community sheltered us with love and support. A memorial was created to preserve the beauty of a life that once lit up our life. With heartfelt compassion, our community lined the streets with hand carved hearts and garlands of flowers as a symbol of love and unity wrapped in vibrant hues of orange, Emma's favorite color. The memory of her echoed through our small town with warmth, giving voice to a life that once spoke through love. The passage of time has not dimmed her tribute; in every orange heart that shines bright and in every mention of her name, there lies her memory and the profound impact of her brief, but beautiful life. ​Love and loss are universal threads that bind us all. Our stories do not merely mark our pain; they offer strength and solace. They are beacons of light that help guide others, offering the boundless power of healing through hope and understanding. We instill peace and forgiveness through our stories as they become the gifts we share rather than wounds we carry.  ​In the depths of grief, we come to know the measures of a profound love. A love that endures, revealing a bond far too deep, too sacred to be silenced. Grief touches each and every one of us at some point in our lives and yet, it remains one of the most difficult and tender conversations to have. The pain and sorrow we endure is a part of the human experience meant to be shared, giving strength to others through every story told. The bereaved turn sorrow into action, silence into advocacy and remembrance into hope. Those who have experienced loss speak a truth that can spark movements, create change and carry the light for others. Within every story shared, a cherished name continues to be spoken, giving voice to something beautiful, something that unites us and becomes the foundation of support and healing.​ ​Emma will always be the soul who fills our lives with hope and joy. With open hearts we look to the world as we let her memory find us, hoping to catch the gentle signs she sends, the subtle reminders that her spirit walks with us, guiding us every step of the way. In each beautiful memory, we see traces of her love, loosening the grip of grief. We are now her voice, her echo in the world, the reminder that her precious and boundless love lives on through us. Every day, we channel unimaginable grief and put its energy into helping others, not for recognition, but in the hope that even one family may be touched by our mission and find the strength to heal from the pain of such a loss. ​We will always be shaken by what happened that day. Our family felt like vanishing beneath the weight of it all, but instead we stayed for a little girl who shaped us and showed us our purpose in this world. For her, we choose to take a courageous step forward. We slowly find the strength to heal and grow so we can help light the way for those who need it most. Through acts of service and kindness, we honor her life. She is worth every step, every tear and every breath it takes to carry forward in this world without her. ​We are guided by the home she built inside our hearts. Together, we find purpose as we carry her love and loss together as one. There is a beauty in saying her name and knowing every time we do, she is still making a difference in the world. ​With the grace of acceptance, we follow her eternal light that lives beyond what we have lost. Her love continues to speak through every heart she has touched. I read something once by an American author Frederick Buechner that stuck with me and it said " When you remember me, it means you have carried something of who I am with you, that I have left some mark of who I am on who you are. It means you can summon me back to your mind even though countless years and miles may stand between us. It means if we meet again, you will know me. It means even after I am gone, you can still see my face and speak to me in your heart. For as long as you remember me, I am never entirely gone." Love, it always remembers