For those of you have walked closely with us though the distance between our homes may be far...this is the announcement that was printed in our local paper.
After a long and inspiring battle with Osteosarcoma, Amanda Joy McDaniel, 18, entered Heaven surrounded by her loving family and on the wings of the love and prayers of her school mates. Amanda was a senior at Christian Fellowship School where she remained actively involved in academics and extracurricular activities even after her diagnosis in 2006. She was a cheerleader, an officer on the student council, a member of the National Honor Society, and a varsity player on the Lady Knight's soccer team. After the loss of her leg, Amanda continued to cheer and learned to both snow ski and rock climb. Amanda's heart of Christian faith, her love for her family and friends, and her incredible smile were never shaken by her battle, and she was an example to all who knew her and met her or followed her story through her blog site, cheersforamanda.blogspot.com.
Visitation will be held at Christian Fellowship Church on Sunday, May 16th from 6-9 p.m. A funeral service, celebrating her life will be at Christian Fellowship Church at 2:30 p.m. on Monday, May 17th. Following the service, Amanda will be laid to rest at Perche Baptist Cemetery.
Amanda and her twin brother, Caleb, were born on August 12th, 1991 to Larry and Cathy McDaniel of Harrisburg, Mo. Cathy passed away in 1994. Larry's marriage to Denise (Kaufman) McDaniel in 1996 brought the family to Columbia and gave Amanda the big, loving family that she cherished.
Holding on to every precious and loving memory of Amanda is her mother and father, Denise and Larry McDaniel, her brothers, Joshua and Caleb, and her sisters, Haley (McDaniel) Boyd & her husband, Matt, Abigail and Anna. Amanda also leaves behind grandparents, Audrey Christenson, Bill and Mary Dykhuizen, Carlene McDaniel, Morris and Joyce McDaniel, Dick and Norma Keil, and Robert and Josephine Kaufman, as well as numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.
Amanda was preceded in death by her birth mother, Cathy Ann McDaniel, and her grandfather, Duane Christenson.
Memorials can be made to Friends of Amanda c/o Christian Fellowship School, 4600 Christian Fellowship Road, Columbia, MO 65203
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9 comments:
We are so sorry for your loss. We have followed your and Amanda's journey over the years through your blog postings, and have been so encouraged by the godly examples each one of you have been as you faithfully trusted the Lord, despite the circumstances. We will certainly keep you and your family in our prayers.
Jim and Patty Anderson
Cedar Rapids, IA
We have followed your very difficult journey through your blog when a family member introduced us to your site. We have been so very lucky to have learned about the strength, humility and love a young woman can have. While we may have never met, we send you our prayers and love to help you through this very difficult time. God bless you.
Please keep posting when you can about your family, you have something so rare today and your gift with words is inspiring. Both you Denise, and Larry have been blessed with the ability to put into words what others grapple with. I want to hear about Caleb's graduation and the others college experiences. Again, as I struggle with faith with nothing like the loss of a child to deal with, your family and Amanda continue to minister to me.
I don't know if now is the time to make this request, but I too hope you continue with Amanda's blog. There are many of us who have not had the privilege of meeting you or Amanda but you have become a part of our lives. We have been so touched by Amanda, Caleb, Joshua, Haley, Abby, Anna, Larry and Denise. There were many times that I smiled with pride at Amanda and her siblings. Who can forget Amanda dancing the worm, skiing, climbing a rock wall, and my personal favorite; the picture of Amanda in her Halloween race car costume! Who can forget Abby shaving her head so Amanda wouldn't feel alone. Who can forget the siblings building a tent on Amanda's hospital bed and making her stay as fun as possible. And now, we are grieving with you and your sorrow is our sorrow. Your family has a place in my heart.
Dear McDaniels,
I have been following your blog for a few years (and I went to SBU with Haley for 2 yrs, which is how I even found out about your blog). I just want to say I'm so sorry for your loss, but I'm so glad that you know she's in Heaven with Jesus. Amanda passed away on my mother-in-law's best friend's birthday, who passed away in October 2009 from ovarian cancer. I can't help but think that they would love each other as dear sisters, and I hope they've met and are dancing together in heaven :) I will be praying for you all as you grieve the loss of a daughter and sister. You guys are loved by so many people, it makes me (a stranger to you all!) glad to know you have shoulders to cry on and arms to lift you up.
What a beautiful tribute to Amanda in your program cover and newspaper remembrance. Thank you for sharing them in your blog. How much I would have liked to be there to share in the celebration of Amanda, the remembrance of your beautiful daughter's remarkable life. My heart was with you yesterday, and you will all be in my prayers in the days ahead. May God hold you all close, may you feel His presence especially at this time. Love, Jodie
We are so deeply grateful for being able to travel to Columbia to attend Amanda's memorial service. The service was outstanding and inspirational and so much reflective of Amanda's life. She was a true child of God and now is home with him.
Amanda's legacy will live on through the lives she has touched and the faith she has inspired...
Her life was used for a higher purpose, one we can not measure or fully understand...
Now YOU, her beautiful family,must continue that legacy of hope by sharing what each of you learned by helping Amanda shoulder her cross.
This story needs to be told, there are souls who need to hear it...Denise and Larry, the words that you typed lovingly into this blog were spiritually inspired and they reached deep into our hearts, leaving tracks that will remain long after this blog ends...God knows we will all have dark times sooner or later and you have given us tools to hold on to and a loving example to help us along our way.
The grief you are now experiencing is shared by an army that has walked beside you, may our prayers help you along your way too...
God bless, prayers continue from Iowa...
May God continue to wrap the entire family in His loving, comforting arms! I cannot fathom your loss but I see you are trusting on our Lord every moment. I will continue to prayer for the family as you each deal with the loss of this precious young lady, Amanda, who is now with her heavenly Father. God bless you and keep you close.
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