LEHI, Utah, Dec. 2, 2016 (Gephardt Daily) — Elsie Mahe’s donated organs have been used to save others in one or more surgeries that doctors call “successful.”
Funeral plans are in the works for the 3-year-old, who on Nov. 22 became entangled in a mini-blind cord, and cut off her air supply long enough to prevent her recovery.
Now the family members of Elsie, daughter of Brigham Young University assistant coach Reno Mahe and wife Sunny, are pausing again to thank their supporters before they face the tough road ahead.
“I don’t know if earthly words exist for the overwhelming gratitude we feel for the love and support that has been shown to us,” Sunny Mahe posted Friday morning on the Mahe Update Facebook page.
“While the loss of our precious Elsie girl has punched a jagged hole in our hearts, the Lord has placed so many phenomenal people into our lives to soften the raw edges and help us gather our courage to face this new life without her.
“Even with a firm and unshakable testimony of the Lord’s Plan of Happiness, we often find ourselves in the midst of deep sorrow and longing. We miss her so and her happy spirit.
“We cannot thank you enough for the kind gestures, thoughtful donations of time, resources and service and especially petitions to Heavenly Father on our behalf. Thank you for grieving with us. The kind words and messages will provide us ongoing comfort as we revisit them and reread them in the weeks and months to come.”
The Mahe’s neighbors and people elsewhere have sent in photos of “Elsie trees,” Christmas trees or outdoor trees that have been decorated in pink ribbons and lights in honor of the toddler’s favorite color.
“To our wonderful neighbors, we love you. We love the Elsie Trees,” Sunny Mahe’s post continued. “The effort that it took to line our return home with candles and light and then stand outside in the bitter cold in order to sing comforting hymns to us in our darkest hours did not go unnoticed. Your sacred consecration of your time, resources and effort have helped us feel so loved and remembered. Thank you.
“From Elsie’s end, the donation surgeries were successful. That’s kind of all the info we have been given about that. We felt such peace and confidence as we walked with her to the operating room and were able to tell the surgeons that we were praying for them.”
Mahe said friends of the family — Reno, Sunny and their remaining seven children — are helping with funeral plans.
“As with any family event, we are ironing out family expectations combined with personal wishes as we hope to make this event something that Elsie and the Lord would approve of,” Mahe wrote. “As of now, we are finding a location that would be suitable to accommodate us.”
Mahe ended her post with a playful undated photo of Elsie, documenting the toddler’s attempt to style her hair with peanut butter.
