Delaney Brown Dies After Caroling Wish Fulfilled

Delaney Brown’s family has announced she passed away peacefully early Christmas morning. Family spokesman Christopher Winters said the 8-year-old, also known as Laney, was surrounded by friends and family.

In May, Delaney was diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia. Throughout the last seven months, she received stem cell therapy and five rounds of radiation. Her West Reading community responded by holding several fundraisers to help the family with their mounting medical bills.

Despite the doctors’ best efforts, the little girl’s health continued to fail. Last week, Jeremiah and Jennifer Brown were told their daughter has less than a month to live.

The 8-year-old has one last wish — to have a holiday sing-a-long. Last weekend, nearly 10,000 people gathered outside Delaney’s Pennsylvania home to sing Christmas carols. Along with several traditional holiday songs, the crowd sang “Happy Birthday.” Delaney turned eight on December 20.

As reported by Los Angeles Times, Delaney Brown was thrilled when she heard the carolers outside her home. Although she was too ill to go outside, she left a message on her Facebook page: “I can hear you now!!! Love you!”

Yahoo News reports that Delaney passed away at 3:10 am on Christmas morning. The family issued an official statement about their devastating loss:

“She was our angel. We will miss her smile, her laughter, and the way she would light up any room she was in… Even as her illness progressed, Laney never stopped having faith, she continued to smile in spite of her pain, and she showed more concern for all of us than for herself.”

Delaney Brown’s family also expressed their gratitude for the ongoing support they received from their family, friends, community, and more than 133,000 Facebook fans. They said the “prayers and well wishes gave both Laney and [them] great comfort” in their time of need.

[Images via Facebook]