It was one year ago today, March 13th, 2011, a day Jason and Brenna Wadsworth knew was coming, but still dreaded since the previous July. Their three-year-old daughter, their sweet little “Laney Bug,” Delaney Wadsworth left her once healthy, but now cancer stricken, painful body and passed on. A story that touched my heart, and many others deeply did not end a year ago, Delaney’s story and memory will continue on forever. Please read, watch, cry, smile too, hug, love, help others in similar situations, and never forget Delaney!

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The story begins on March 26th of 2007, Jason and Brenna Wadsworth welcomed their first child, Delaney, near Rawlins, Wyoming. Delaney, like a lot of babies was always around. Jason and Brenna took her everywhere, even on their honeymoon, and Delaney slept in their bed every night, even when she was no longer a baby. Delaney was a friend who would sing country music with Brenna and jump on the trampoline with Jason, and she watched wrestling with both of them every Monday night. But she was their little girl, too, and they insisted on no back talk, treating adults with respect and sitting politely in church. Life was good!

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It was July 2nd, 2010 when things changed forever. Delaney was visiting her grandparents outside of Windsor, Colorado when her parents feared she had an ear infection so they took her to the doctor. Soon after, mom, dad, and Delaney were at the hospital in Greeley, Colorado getting a CT scan. After doctors looked at the scan, they had bad news, they saw something… Delaney needed to go to Children’s Hospital in Denver for further evaluation. It was a nightmare, a brain tumor called Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG).The neurologists and oncologists of Denver Children’s Hospital deemed the tumor inoperable due to its location. They completed a 5-day high dosage, experimental radiation treatment and results were so good that it opened the door for other children who suffer from DIPG to receive the same treatment. Although the results from the radiation were good, there was still only a 5% chance that this beautiful little girl would make it longer than 1 year.

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Over the next few months mom, dad, and “Laney Bug” made everyday special. From trips to Sea World & LegoLand in California to Disney World in Florida, (and many places and events in between), to quiet cozy days at home. Delaney truly lived a lifetime within those months, from Cheerleading for two different High Schools, a College, winning multiple beauty pageants, raising animals on a farm, and getting married to Buzz Lightyear.

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Jason and Brenna stayed in the bedroom with her almost the entire weekend of March 12. They didn’t want to let her go. But they remembered the look of devastation Delaney gave them the first day she could no longer walk. Delaney accepted her fate, and she wanted to go to heaven not just because she was 3 and it sounded like a neat place to go. She also wanted to be free of her body. Delaney loved to run and wrestle and jump on the trampoline and paint and color and ride her horse and play hide-and-go seek and dash out from behind a barn to make the goats faint. She couldn’t do those things any longer. Brenna and Jason gave her as much time as they could to be herself without being sick from the treatments. They have no regrets about that.

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At 10 p.m on March 13th Delaney joined her puppy Daisy, her friend Amanda, and Jesus in heaven.

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At a private funeral service, when they bury her with special gifts, including elk teeth, John Elway’s rookie card and her ‘Manda Panda, family members and close friends pin daisies to their black dresses and suits. It’s a tribute to Daisy, the puppy that Delaney may be playing with right now, and the comfort that came from the conversation she and Brenna shared in the kitchen early that morning over sausage. Delaney was ready to go, even if they weren’t ready to let her leave. The thought brings the relief they need to help dull the grief. The next day, they host a fun, public memorial that is attended by nearly 1,000. They come out to R-Truth’s entrance music wearing matching white T-shirts with Delaney’s picture screened on the front.

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Brenna and Jason are expecting Delaney’s sister, Trinity Delaney Wadsworth, later this year.

Delaney was a gift from god, shared with all, loved my many, and missed by millions.

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