Rylee
Keep chasing rainbows.
Rylee was a fearless, joyful girl who jumped into life headfirst, the cannonball that became the heart of this foundation. She met childhood cancer with a courage and light that left a mark on everyone who knew her. Her family turned their love for her into a mission to help other children and families walk the same road with strength, comfort, and hope. The Rylee Grace Foundation carries her spirit forward every single day.
To live every day fully and fearlessly. Life is short. Cannonball!
Rylee's story
Turn the pages to meet the girl at the heart of it all.
Rylee was your typical kid growing up. She loved playing soccer and softball, traveling to Lake Tahoe and Hawaii, and spending every moment she could at the beach or in the mountains. She had a special connection with nature and always found peace outdoors. She absolutely loved Disneyland, and her face would light up anytime someone mentioned it. Disney movies, Impractical Jokers, snack foods, swimming, and making people laugh were just a few of her favorite things.
What made Rylee truly extraordinary was her heart. She never had a bad word to say about anyone and wanted everyone to feel included, loved, and accepted. If one of her friends did not have something, Rylee would often give them her own, because she wanted them to experience the same joy she did. She loved creating thoughtful handmade gifts for family and friends, and was always looking for ways to brighten someone's day.
Rylee had a way of lighting up every room she entered. She made friends everywhere she went, at school, on vacation, in waiting rooms, or standing in line at a store. She could strike up a conversation with anyone, and somehow strangers always walked away smiling. You could see it on their faces. There was just something about Rylee that made people instantly love her. She made everyone feel important, seen, and valued.
Her kindness reached far beyond her friendships. She brought joy and laughter to every classroom, and even helped influence changes within her school district to create a more inclusive environment for all students. Kindness was not something Rylee practiced. It was simply who she was.
In the summer of 2019, our family traveled to Cody, Wyoming, where Rylee experienced her first rodeo. She was captivated. From that moment on, she was determined to become a barrel racer. She began training with her beloved horse, Three, and quickly discovered a natural talent in the arena. The bond they shared was undeniable, and Rylee dreamed of one day competing in rodeos across the country. Her future was filled with hope and endless possibilities.
Then, on November 17, 2020, everything changed.
Doctors discovered a brain tumor the size of a tennis ball. Within 48 hours, Rylee underwent a five and a half hour emergency brain surgery. She spent six weeks in the ICU before being transferred to San Diego for proton radiation and chemotherapy.
The treatments took an unimaginable toll. During her first round of chemotherapy, Rylee went into kidney failure and required 19 blood transfusions in just 30 days. The repeated hospitalizations, painful procedures, and life threatening complications left her with severe PTSD. No child should ever have to endure what Rylee did, yet she continued to face each day with remarkable courage, strength, and grace.
When the cancer returned and spread in 2022, doctors found a tumor the size of a baseball on her hip and cancer in her pelvic lymph nodes. Rylee was given the devastating news that her disease was terminal.
From that moment on, our family focused on what mattered most. We laughed together, cried together, celebrated every milestone, and cherished every precious moment we were blessed to have with her. Even as cancer stole so much from her, it never took away the love she had for others or the joy she found in life's little moments.
On June 27, 2023, at just 16 years old, Rylee passed away surrounded by the love of her family.
There are no words to describe the heartbreak of losing a child. We miss her every single day. Yet even through our unimaginable grief, we knew Rylee's story could not end there.
The Rylee Grace Foundation was created to honor the incredible life she lived, and to continue sharing the kindness, joy, and hope she gave so freely to others. Inspired by Rylee's compassionate heart, our mission is to bring comfort, hope, and support to children battling pediatric cancer and their families through personalized wishes, mental health services, chemo sweatshirts, care packages, and help reaching lifesaving treatment. We are committed to ensuring no family has to face this journey alone.
Rylee taught us that life is not measured by the number of days we have, but by the love we share, the joy we create, and the memories we make.
From Rylee's mom
In her own honest and tender words, Rylee's mom Michelle shares the moments of their journey, the hardest days and the love that carries their family still.
Give in memory of Rylee
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