There are no words adequate enough to express who Evalee was and what she meant to so many of us. Once Evalee became a part of your life, there was no way of escaping her irresistible charm and amazing talent for winning your love and admiration.

Evalee spent half of her first year either in the NICU or PICU. Her tenacity and will to live was extraordinary. I remember going to the hospital almost every day after work and seeing her so small in her bed. Machines going off all around her, me never really knowing what each one meant. Angel and Adam were amazing with her. They would explain each light and alarm, sometimes over and over to me because I would see some number a little high or a little low and freak out. That was me. Grandma freak out… The first time I babysat her, I watched the clock non-stop because I was afraid I would actually have to feed her through her g-tube…

I wouldn’t hold her for the longest time after she was on the ventilator. I was afraid of all the wires and tubes. But because of Eli and Aunt Nana’s relentless taunting, I finally braved it…I am so glad for all the times that I held her. She was more my comfort, than I was to her, I am sure.

The doctors said Evalee would probably never talk because of the trach, but she always talked. In fact, she loved to talk and sing and be goofy…She loved being the center of attention and if her brothers got some of that attention, she would quickly manipulate it until it was all about Evie again. That was part of her charm…