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Story is told by Bri's mom, Karen

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Rett Syndrome is a genetic mutation/deletion that results in severe neurological deficits. It is a spectrum-and Bri was on the severe end of that. She never walked or talked. In her toddler years, we went through a severe regression where she lost the ability to sit up on her own, and she could no longer eat solid food. She started to have seizures, and lost all purposeful movement. When she was 6, we had to have a feeding tube put in because she could no longer swallow without choking. As Bri got older, we went through several orthopedic surgeries, including a complete hip repair, and a spinal fusion, in addition to increasing respiratory difficulties. Each time Bri got sick, her lungs sustained more and more damage. At 14, she got to the point where she had to be on oxygen full time, and a machine to keep her breathing at night. The last year of her life was spent between the children's hospital, and a nursing home because we could no longer safely care for her at home. In January of 2022, Bri became very ill at the nursing home and she had to be transferred back to the hospital. At this point, the medical staff learned that she had now developed diabetes, her liver was failing, her lungs were failing, and she was having severe gastrointestinal issues-all of which would required more surgeries, and she would have to be permanently hooked up to machines to breathe. It was at this time, Brianna's dad and I decided that it was time to stop interventions, and let nature take its course. We let her little body take its final rest on February 10th 2022.