“I don’t have many friends, I’m not like, because I couldn’t get out really and do many things because I was in so much pain, and this prom is, we’ll we call it my last dance”, said Jerika.
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A terminally ill Wisconsin teen has made the hard decision to end her life, as her battle with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) becomes too painful to bear. Prom will last from 7 p.m.to midnight at Appleton’s Grand Meridian hotel. She plans to soon disconnect from a ventilator that keeps her alive. The Grand Meridian donated the space, and other businesses are providing food, decor, and music. My precious 8-month-old had just spent 5 hours in an MRI scanner at Children’s of Milwaukee searching for a possible tumor on her spine causing her progressive lack of movement.
“When I decided, I felt extremely happy and sad at the same time”, she told the Appletown Post-Crescent Wednesday.
“I don’t have many friends”.
“I used my voice that I had and said, ‘This is enough pain”.
Her mother, Jen, says the decision to die was something that’s been discussed for several years since most people don’t survive the incurable disease as long as Jerika has. She has endured more in her 14 years of life than most adults will ever have to.
“Jerika requests your presence in your “fancy” attire for a night to remember”. “It’s her body and it’s her pain”. She has a couple last wishes that I would love your help with.
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According to the Washington Post, she will wear a dress in her favourite colours, green and black, and there will be hors d’oeuvres, candy, cake and dancing – lots of dancing. She also wants to make it down to see her other SMA friends we see every year at Avery’s Race the weekend of July 14th.
