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On May 5, 1980, we were blessed with the birth of our first
daughter. Kelly was born with a loving spirit, a gentle disposition
and quiet determination. Her personality blossomed with a
quick wit, strength of character and compassionate understanding.
She grew into a lovely brunette with sparkling blue-green
eyes.
Kelly grew up playing all the sports possible. She played
soccer, volleyball, basketball and softball. Kelly was a strong
swimmer and became a lifeguard and taught swimming lessons.
She loved getting a good tan, also!
In September of 2001 Kelly began her junior year at CSULB
with enthusiasm. Kelly was on the President's Honor List and
had been chosen to be a peer mentor for incoming freshmen,
with the college's Learning Alliance program. She derived
great satisfaction in helping others to become their best.
Starting in June of 2000 Kelly had experienced what would
be diagnosed as seizures. Even though she had no history of
head trauma or family history of epilepsy we were told that
it wasn't uncommon for young adults to develop seizures spontaneously.
Various tests were done to rule out any physical abnormality
in her brain, all negative. In March of 2001 Kelly was put
on an anti-seizure medication and told to return in six months.
Labor Day weekend 2001, a week before her scheduled return
doctors visit, she had two seizures in a 16 hour period, each
time being sent home from the hospital with additional medication.
We were told not to worry. Four hours after the second seizure
she had her third and final seizure resulting in her death
three days later.
Kelly had always expressed that if anything happened to her
she wanted to be an organ donor. Because of her thoughtfulness
two people have received her kidneys, one person her liver
and countless others have been touched by her through the
eye and tissue bank.
Since her passing other family members have been diagnosed
with Long QT Syndrome (LQTS).
Most likely Kelly died of the same condition. LQTS is a disorder
of the heart's electrical system. Symptoms include sudden
and unexplained fainting or death in children or young adults.
In Kelly's case she had seizure-like symptoms but was very
lucid immediately afterward unlike classic seizures followed
by a period of confusion. LQTS is diagnosed with a simple
ECG/EKG and though it is not curable it is very treatable.
We are carrying on her loving, giving spirit with work that
we feel she would value.
Love,
Katie, Monica and Henry Weaver
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