Makayla Abigail Gullion
KENTUCKY
DIPG: September 2018 – July 2019
Forever Age: 11
Our daughter Makayla Abigail Gullion was born on June 25th 2008. She was the perfect birthday present for her mother and I who are also born in June. Makaylas birth was met with complications which we believe led to her being diagnosed with (High Functioning) Autism at about 3 years of age. However Autism never slowed her down or hampered her love for her family, friends or God. Makayla loved to dance (Jig as she would call it), sing (Hymns, Christian music or a particular favorite of hers VeggieTales), and read. She was an avid reader (as long as it had pictures for her to enjoy). Makayla would read her favorite books over and over until the spine would separate from the pages leaving me her father with the task of taping them back together. I did a lot of taping to say the least. Some of her favorite books were “Its the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown”, “The Cat In The Hat”, “The Sparkling Princess”, and the “Little Critter” series just to name a few. She especially loved holiday themed stories that involved Halloween and particularly Christmas. Stories about Santa Claus were probably her favorite followed by spooky kids stories that involved trick or treating or lovable little monsters.
Makayla most of all was a child of God. She loved God and Jesus with her big beautiful heart. She sang songs to him almost daily and enjoyed when we took her to church. She loved her church family very much and enjoyed the massive fellowship hall where she could run and giggle to her heart's content. When we discovered that Makayla was sick with cancer she was the one who remained strong and taught us how to be brave. The more the cancer progressed the closer she drew to God. Her words began to be foretelling as she spoke Gods truths to us. She said “Dad, God is breaking my heart, but he’s going to put it back together again.” I did not know then, but I know now that she was aware that God was going to take her home and she was comforting me with the truth that God was going to put her back together again in Heaven. On a couple occasions I would hear her giggling and talking under her breath saying “I’m so excited, I”m so excited.” However when I would ask what she was excited about she would say, “Your going to have to wait and see.” I believe God was telling her about all the wonders she was going to see, the love she was going to feel, the joy she was going to experience and the blessed freedom he was going to give her when he took her home. I on the other hand was just going to have to wait my turn. Makayla was a very loving little girl, but as the days drew on she began to pour that love over us even more so than ever before. She would go into great detail to tell me how much she loved me, “I love you Dad, I love you soooooo much!” or telling her sister, “Bell your a good little sister like me.” As her body weakened and all she had left was her right arm, she would often raise that arm up and call out “Hugs!” to which we were blessed with a Makayla size squeeze. The last kiss she ever initiated with me was her signature ultimate kiss that she reserved for when her love was overflowing and that was her MuggaMugga kiss that she learned from Daniel Tiger (A favorite cartoon character of hers). She was well aware that we were going to need our love tanks filled for the journey ahead without her.
On July 30th 2019, God in his infinite kindness, and merciful grace, very gently took her home. She now jigs, sings and plays for her best friend Jesus. She snuggles with my grandparents, rides on my uncles shoulders as they walk the streets of gold together, giggles as the aunts kiss her face repeatedly and basks in the radiant loving light of God the father who has washed all her troubles away.
As her father I can truly say that I’m not afraid of death anymore. Makayla showed me how to do it with courage, and confidence as I lean on Jesus like she did. Our separation is only temporary and as long as I live on this earth I will never forget the beautiful gift God gave her mother I. 11 years was just a taste of the joy I will get to experience for all of eternity as we hold our daughter again one day and praise our Jesus for his amazing goodness and love. I Love You Little Love!
Thank you for choosing to donate to the Cannonballs for Kayne Foundation.100% of this donation, after credit card processing fees, goes directly towards DIPG research.
Help us SKIP the FEES: If you would like to make a donation by mail, please send a check to Cannonballs for Kayne Foundation; P.O. Box 1738, Ormond Beach, FL 32175 and write the person’s name in the memo.
The family receives notification of all donations made to this honor fund.
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