Emma was a beautiful little girl who was diagnosed with epilepsy at the tender age of 6-months. For the next seven years, her parents surrounded her with a supportive team of speech therapists, physical therapists, occupational therapists and specialists. With their help, Emma learned to crawl at 11 months. She walked at 22 months and eventually was able to attend kindergarten with her peers.
Through the diligence and care of her family and caregivers, Emma's seizures decreased from six a day to one or two a week. It was considered remarkable progress. She grew into an engaging and affectionate girl who taught her family many life lessons. They called her their butterfly, an angel who was undergoing a transformation in learning her how to fly.
Sadly, when Emma was 7, her life came to an abrupt end. Her father went to wake her for summer school and found that she had died in her sleep. SUDEP, Sudden Unexplained Death in Epilepsy, was determined as the cause.
Very little is known about SUDEP. While her family continues to pray for a cure, they've created this fund in Emma's memory to support research into this mysterious and deadly disease. Fair Play is an annual family fun day that is held every July in Emmerling Park, Indiana Township. The park is filled with the many things that brought joy to Emma during her life: pony rides, bounce houses, games, crafts, balloons and bubble machines. Proceeds from the day support the fund, in memory of Emma.