6-Year-Old Girl with Brain Cancer Hid Love Notes for Her Parents to Find After Her Death

Sorry, but obviously fake!

This means her parents never cleaned up in 255 days? Never found one single note by chance what would have spoiled Elenas hide-and-seek?

Nice and heart-warming story anyway!

Now you guys are making me a skeptic. Of course living with two kids makes me think it is some what plausible and the number of notes was exagerated.

:~(

I was expecting different kinds of comments here.

Real weak guys...

That is the kind of "Readers Digest" story that my parents loved to read and sob on when they had a subscribtion to that some 40 years ago. I didn't know it was still in existance...

Wow. This is such a heart wrenching story. It's irksome to see these negative comments. How would you know if it's fake or not. Why are people so quick to assume the worst?

And the housework thing? What the hell? How would anyone know where or when or how she hid the notes? And maybe they just don't keep house the way you do. Good thing we have all the peopel to pass judgement. I'm sure your lives could stand up to the same scrutiny?

People that would take the time to leave a negative comment about this posting are the sorriest type of human and it makes me embarrassed that I share the same species with them. When you loose a child it is so horrendous - there isn't even a name for what you become....but there is a name for those neigh sayers and negative posters out there......ugly waste of space.

Damn, some of you cover every inch of your house on a daily basis, don't you?

The story says the child placed the notes "in between CD cases, between bookshelves, in dresser drawers, in backpacks"

I'm sure there are numerous dressers and backpacks you don't go through all that often, and everything else is perfectly plausible seeing as nobody uses CDs anymore and going between bookshelves is odd for someone that doesn't clean that thoroughly.

The 135 days convert to about 4 1/2 months, and it's possible that the doc may have said something like "she has 4, maybe 5 months" but the parents put it down to 135 days. Either way, doctors often give estimates. That's why people are always saying they were given so-and-so many months of life left. They're all estimates. I'm sure the doctor didn't say "your daughter has 135 days left, exactly."

It's very low to make these accusations without knowing anything about the parents. And it's very very low and despicable to imply greed when they are donating the money.

Look i think we all cant believe what we read or see now thanks to balloon boys family! What happened to reading a heart wrenching story and actually taking it to heart and believing it.. God forbid something like that ever happened to one of my kids but it would definitly help me through if they were to do something like that!

doctors don't pinpoint time to live. this story is twisted around. I really doubt you would tell your 6 year old she's going to die in 6 months???

It is very sad that this little girl passed away and even sadder that her parents read these ugly comments that people write on here. Who cares if the little girl left a few notes or hundreds, they lost their little girl and the common sense thing to do if you have any heart is to feel for them.

Not to be judgemental, but it does strike me as being faked. Couldn't really say for sure, its not like I know the people.

why are people being so negative??? you dont know if this story is real or fake so stop being so quick to judge. sheesh people these days!!!

Oh yeah, and one more thing, thanks to everyone else who has responded positively to this, they are the only ones that have restored a little bit of my faith in people's kindness and good hears.

Read the book before you are so quick to judge. It is the most beautiful, inspirational story. I hope her parents don't read these comments and they make billions and billions of dollars off this book.

To all the negative nellies...I saw this story on CNN last week. I'm pretty sure they would have checked to make sure it was legit before putting it on the air. I feel sorry for all of you that are so cynical that a story like this couldn't touch your heart. I think it's an amazing story of a young girl's courage and my heart goes out to her family. Losing a child has to be the worst pain imaginable.

Nice article. Those leaving the negative notes, can you stand for God to judge you with the same yardstick? Just wondering..............

if my child was diagnosed with brain cancer and given 135 days to live, I doubt I would think about cleaning my house. My entire goal would be to spend time with my child and live each moment to its fullest. So to all of you who say that her parents didn't clean their house for 255 days, you are probably right, why on earth would they waste time doing that, when they could of lost their child any day.

OK. maybe the book just got published then they're writing this. Not that they just found the notes and saying that. Get it?

Book is published. Then they announxe the notes.

God help us all. Such drama.

omg thats is soo sad but so sweet to find the letters.

Well from my own families experience we DID have a doctor tell my aunt, uncle, and 10 year old cousin that he had less than a year to live. He was diagnosed with Metachromatic Leukodystrophy. He handled it with such wisdom. The amazing thing is that 10 years later he is still here! I think this is a heartwarming story. I used to leave little love messages around the house. I think I need to get back to doing that again!

There is no god, religion is something slapped upon you at a young age in a way to control you and contribute your money to there "business" wake up

thats the nicest thing every may god bless that famaly

Even if it is fake, there is a good message behind it. And even if they did mess up on a few specifics, its a good heart warming story. There is good in the world

i feel bad 4 tht family . it doesnt sound bogus

i feel bad 4 tht family . it doesnt sound bogus 2 me

Who really cares if it the entire story is true or not? The parents are posting about their child, who died from brain cancer. The benefits from the book they've created go to benefit children with brain cancer. Kids are the greatest gift one can receive and I cannot begin to imagine what it is like to lose one. Let each grieve in his or her own way and if you don't like it, you don't have to read about it - just leave the nice stories for those of us who like to think that there is a little bit of good out there, somewhere.

I may have believed it if I hadn't seen P.S. I Love You and I find it hard to believe a 6 yo would understand what was happening to her enough to leave "hundreds" of notes.

you said it Tina, they are trying to make billions and billions

Once again people prove why comments are unnecessary..

Wow, way to be a jerk. How would you count the time to your child's impending death? Days, months?
Maybe you don't have a 6 year old running around the house. I know the one running around my house right now is prolific in the notes and pictures he leaves scattered everywhere for us. And yes, I think it is possible that if something awful were to happen to him (heaven forbid) I would spend the months to come finding those notes and pictures. He sticks them everywhere.
As cheesy as it is, I am glad they have done something to remember their daughter, esepcially for her sister's sake. Nothing like being raised in a house where the 800 pound gorilla in the room concerns your sister's death, and how no one ever talks about it.

My god, people are idiots. Obviously they've never had a loss or suffered grieving and depression. When something this horrible happens, its a struggle to do things-- to wake up, bathe, mow the lawn. That's NOT even in the realm of what they're thinking about unless they make a powerful and conscious effort to do so, as in cases when focusing on mundane tasks as a means of distraction. Has anyone here ever heard of despondency? The kid had cancer and all a troll can think is "vacume and dust-- fake! Ha ha!" ??? Geeze, no wonder I hate humanity

Totally side note from the story, but as an editor, I noticed...
"...Elena Desserich (right) was..."
The picture is to the left.

I meant other than CLEAN house.....

If the parents were making this book for their own profit I'd say hmmmm, but it's for a non-profit organization The Cure Starts Now dedicated to fighting pediatric brain cancer. It's to help people who have a life a threatening sickness. Stop all the detective work people. let it go.

Days, monthes, come on, doctors do tend to give estimates when they can and that's just nitpicking.

As for doubts about them not finding them before, well I doubt she would have known her own time was coming so well as to do it in one big go just before. They never said they only found such notes after she died or that it came as a surprise to them. I have to imagine she had started hiding the notes awhile back and they started finding them before she died. That doesn't make the statement that they found hundreds of notes after she died false nor does the fact they it wasn't a total surprise reduce the comfort it must have been to her parents.

So, of course, it's been exaggarated, nothing in the media isn't spun in some way, but it's not like this is a fabrication.

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/33505113/ns/today-today_books/

For all you people who think that the parents did this for money...do a little bit of research to see wtf you're talking about. These people lost their precious daughter to a horrendous disease.

I can't believe some of these comments. The proceeds of the book go on to help fund a "non-profit" organization to help fund brain cancer research for kids morons. It's not like they are going to make any kind of fortune off it. Any parent or anyone with even air in their head knows nothing can fill the void of losing your child. The people who posted these negative posts are a bunch of idiots.

Doesn't seem outrageous to me. The story doesn't say that she starting leaving notes as soon as she found out...so why do people think that these notes were sitting around for 255 days. For all we know they could have been done within the last week.

Y'all such idiots. if you want to complain, start a new location. Didn't your parents ever tell you "if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all"? Seriously people, think how the family must feel,esp. after y'all think they were lying. Give them some space!!

I liked the article. Love and prayers to the family who is going through this rough time. <3

Some of the comments you people have left are terrible and you should be ashamed of yourselves - How sad that they lost their daughter. May God give them comfort and hope that they do not read all these nasty comments from you. May God also give you some common sense and a heart because you can all use it.

My husband died of cancer on December 26, 2007. A couple of months later my son and I found a song he had begun writing in the back of the notebook where we had all the bills listed. Quite honestly, I had looked at this notebook numerous times and never found the note. Same goes for a nother note he left me. I have to agree with the guy who said you just don't do a whole lot of searching and cleaning when you are losing someone you love. And to the guy who said shame on you for using a dead girl to sell books - my understanding is the proceeds are going to a good cause. Not much different from the christmas cards designed by kids. I think it's great that they kept the notes - whether they found them before or after losing their precious daughter. Shame on you people for being so callous and not seeing the sweetness in this

Did u guys ever think that maybe the doctors didn't know EXACTLY when she'd die, but her parents forced them to make an educated guess so they could plan for the future, and remember whether the article is fake or not, this is on YAHOO. Not all the facts are going to be perfect!!!!! ><

the little girl must of known she wasn't going to make it, so she just started leaving little notes everywhere, i thought it was really sweet. And for all of you negative ass people look in that black hole and i hope you find a heart or a soul or something!!!

This is not a story. This is real life. This 6 year old had the wherewithall to look into the future, and unlike most adults cannot and will not do.

I feel sorry for those who are disgustingly cynical what a world you live in. Shame on you for not believing in what this beautiful child left for her precious parents.

Don't any of you people have a heart?! A six year old dies, a book is being made with the proceeds going to a non-profit organization to help others going through the same thing, and some of you people go around criticizing the parents?! What a bunch of pricks you people are. The only thing I'd like to offer to you people is the Gift of BOFA - BOFA my nutz.

http://www.parentdish.com/2008/12/29/five-year-old-cancer-patient-leav es-thousands-of-notes-for-her-f/

Check out the link...TRUE story!

Wow, i seemed to have forgotten how truly pathetic people can be. The posts about this article are outrageous, pin pointing the most trivial things, but leaving out the fact that a 6 year old little girl has passed away. Her parents have suffered a great deal, and I for one, feel for their loss. Put yourselves in their shoes and then come back and comment. How accurate the story is about the number of notes being found, or when they were found after her pasing DOES NOT over shadow the fact that their little girl is gone. GROW UP PEOPLE!

when i read I don't feel like it was fake at all, its pretty sweet of the little gurl, if its real.
If its bs then y wood there b another family tryn to get attention off their child?

these parents were on the Today show last week. this does not seem like a hoax at all. I can tell you if my child was sick I doubt I would be looking in books and between CDs for anything. It is sad that she is gone, but it is a nice story. Also, they are not out to profit from this, The money is to fund cancer research.

If can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all. Thanks.

This is a great story, heart wrenching and I for one have lost a loved one to a brain tumor and yes, the Dr gave him a timeline, fortunatly he lived past the time line, but only a few extra weeks, even with agressive treatments. I could only imagine the bitter sweet feeling of stumbling across these unsuspecting notes. As far as between books and CD cases, how often do you read the same books over and over and dust between them? Thats probably a good reason they didnt find them right away, not to mention, after they found one or two, they went on the search to find more.

You ppl make me sick !!!! You are nothing but a bunch of SOBS how do you know it is fake for all you know it might be real.. as for the cleaning would you want to spend your child's last remaining days cleaning or spending it with her??? And would you want to remember those memories cleaning your house instead of spending them with her??? I know that if it was my daughter I would want to spend every waking moment with her taking care of her and holding her close!!!!
Come on ppl !!!

You Know some of you people need a come to Jesus meeting. I work for hospice and yes some Dr.'s will give a tentive time line it doesn't mean it is set in stone. Would you really worry about cleaning all that much if it was your child? Another thing if you would have read the whole story you would see the part about proceeds from the book going to cancer research. Mabey some of you people should pull yopur own weeds and don't be so quick to jump.

These are the types of comments you get when God is not allowed in school. When gays want to be married; when people of faith are required to give in to the vocal minority. Billy Graham said it all:
'Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness
and to seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, 'Woe to those who call evil good,' but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values. We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery. We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare.
We have killed our unborn and called it choice. We have shot
Abortionists and called it justifiable. We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self esteem. We have abused power and called it politics.
We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition. We
have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it
freedom of expression. We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment. Search us, Oh God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and Set us free. Amen!' – Billy Graham

Not sure if this is fake or not, but being a mother of a 5 year old. I can belive it. Whatever helps the parents sleep at night. Guys they lost their daughter, their baby, the love of thier lives. The Notes are cute :^)

If you guys took about 60 seconds to google her name you would of wrote someting totally different. The girls was treated at the Cincinnati Childrens Hospital and St Judes in Memphis. She had a tumor in her Brain stem that took her voice away and the only way she could communicate was with notes. she was given 5 month to live but held out longer what a great girl she was to give her parents something to remember her by.

Children do leave things behind for loved ones to find (if they have the ability to draw and/or write). My daughter sent emails (to be sent after her surgery was complete), filled pages full of her thoughts and feelings in her many journals, wrote notes and left them for us to later find. Our friends and family found comfort in her heroic inspiration.

Look on the good side, giving money to brain cancer which is obviously needed... no one would want to loose a child this way. or any way...we all need to love in this world and stop hating so much.....my kids leave notes all the time and they are healthy it feels good to get love from your babies when they learn to write..

Well.... A 6 year old hiding things like paper in a dresser and between cds. Then you have to ask how could she have done all this with out them noticing. You do have to wonder if the parents ever watched her, got dressed, and put on clothing or cleaned at all.

I mean if it is fake then these parents should be hanged.

And if not then my heart goes out to this family.

Simple as that.

R.I.P Elena

I agree with sc111. I am always picking up after my kids drawings, maybe this mom did too, but there was more hidden everywhere that they found later. There are lots of places in my house I don't clean weekly, especially when someone is sick. I just do the dishes and laundry and cooking when I am sick or someone else needs to be babied.... you all are a bunch of clean freaks with no kids and a cold heart!

wow there are lots of mean sprits here even if they did fake it,if i lost my little girl i would be devestated for years sounds like a couple sharing there love they had for there little girl with the world,i say thank you i dont think i could do that.

I cannot believe people are so crude and closed minded!!! And to the Nurse above that said she has never heard of a physician giving a time line or exact # of days to the girls death.. You are just flat out stupid! And I hope I never encounter you for any medical reasons...

DR's give cancer patience time lines to their death more often than NOT. I know cause I have lost not 1 not 2 but 3 family members to some form of cancer! and guess what... they all had days or weeks or months to live.. and of course they all three exceeded the Dr's guesstimate...

The point is here you jackasses! This story is very much believable... so before you pick it apart and assume you know this little girl or her family and know how they take care of there house or how they took care of there daughter while she was ill!!!!! YOU DONT KNOW!

IT IS PEOPLE LIKE YOU THAT MAKE ME DISGUSTED TO BREATHE THE SAME AIR AS YOU!!!! JUST HOPE THAT ONE DAY YOU DONT FALL INTO THE SAME HEARTBREAKING SITUATION!!! MAY YOUR KID LEAVE YOU NOTHING! AND MAY YOU ALWAYS REFLECT ON YOUR SORRY PATHETIC INHUMAN NATURE AND REGRET EVERY JUDGMENT YOU PASSED ON THIS FAMILY AND WHAT THEY WENT THROUGH!!!

Beautiful heart warming story. Watching the video and the images of the notes expresses a honest love for her family which can not be denied or duplicated. RIP angel.

Reading this story or any like it makes me think of my little Kami,that is a pain that truly makes me sick to my stomach.I honestly do not think i could go on with out her since her birth we have been blessed with her good health and the joy she brings to us dailey,hourly.so i am assuming that you people leaving these negative post are without children otherwise you wouldn't have the heart to leave them.if it is bogus then pray for them don't ridicule them because obviously they have lost thier child either way and like i said it is a pain i couldn't deal with myself yet they are dealing with it.so back off let them find peace however they can

I don't think I would be too into cleaning house if my daughter was dying. I generally don't clean my CD
cases anyway. There are plenty of places she could have hid the notes where one wouldn't clean or not often at least. My boyfriend found notes from his wife around the house after she dyed and his kids always left him notes taped to the inside of cabinet doors.

Who cares if it was real or fake-the profits go to an organization to fight childrens brain cancer! Oh and just for the record, if anything like this happened to me, (god forbid, knock on wood, etc.)the last thing on my mind woould be to clean house! Who dusts their friggin cd's anyway?

I'm sorry to hear about the lose of your lil girl. I have 2 myself and the notes my daughter draws, I keep in a box to look back on one day. So I know that anything that was left behind was heart warming. May God be with you and your family and to know that she is a true Angel now and she will always be with you. As far as the NEGATIVE comments ONLY GOD CAN JUDGE!!!!

I can see from the comments left that most of you heartless a holes don't have kids or don't truley love the ones you have or have never had a loved one die from cancer

How about people taking 2 minutes to reasearch before they post STUPID...HURTFUL comments. This is a REAL...TRUE story about an AMAZING little girl in OH. Maybe we can learn something wonderful from her!!

http://www.parentdish.com/2008/12/29/five-year-old-cancer-patient-leav es-thousands-of-notes-for-her-f/

No doctor would ever give an estimate in days, of life expectancy.

I think this is a beautiful story of how much the child loved her parents and didnt want them to hurt so much leaving beautiful notes for them to find AFTER her death(for those of you that cant read the article above thats when they found them after she died)im sure that the little girl new she didnt have much time left and did it out of love!!!! its beautiful!!!!

some say this is bogus that they nevr cleaned but for the 255 days this little girl was fighting for her life thats all the paernts thought of maybe they did a little cleaning but there thoughts and minds were on their little girl its hard to do it even after they pass your afraid to touch anything i know i lost my 5 1/2 old daughter in 2001 and i was afraid to mess anything up leave it like she had it even i found little notes after chelsea passed just things that sat there it really tears you up inside knowing you out lived your child if something happened to yours would cleaning be on your mind be honest now its been 8 years and the pain is still there i kept her homework and everything so dont judge these parents at least they are giving the money to help find a cure

You people are smal, cold and clearly pathetic. If you bother to do a search on this girl you'll see the interview on good morning america.

absolutely unbelievable some people's disgusting ability to be so down right evil since their identity is shrowded by a username instead of a a real name. I challenge the people that posted this hatred reveal there names to these unfortunate parents. Nothing would make me happier than to see these complete morons eat their words and apologise in person!!!!

disgusting and should be ashamed of ourselves

You people make me sick! I have personally known two people who have lost thier child to brain cancer. It is a quick killer, most of the time the parents don't even know what's going on until it's to late. To think that people would question the authenticity of this story is appalling! Seriously, when you have a termilly ill child the last thing that is going through your mind is "oh geez, I think I'll go through all my backpacks and CD cases today". My guess is that these are good parents who were doing thier best to spend as much quality time with their daughter as possible making sure that her last days were full of love and happiness. Grow a heart people and have some empathy! My thoughts, prayers and love goes out to this family.

absolutely unbelievable some people's disgusting ability to be so down right evil since their identity is shrowded by a username instead of a a real name. I challenge the people that posted this hatred reveal there names to these unfortunate parents. Nothing would make me happier than to see these complete morons eat their words and apologise in person!!!!

disgusting and should be ashamed of yourselves

I agree with Splint Chesthair. Your kid is dying why would you care about cleaning every nock and cranny of your house. Regardless if every aspect of this story is true or not we should have some compassion. These people lost a beautiful little girl.

I think this story is really touching..

now, why are people being sooooo negative??? It can happen you know, why do are people always thinking the worst? Good still exsists.... maybe not in your life, but some people's have good lives.. and some people who may have lost their 6 year old daughter who are probably taking it pretty hard, they probably need a little good in their lives.

People like you guys, are crushing it. Wow, as if they haven't been hit enough by negativity...
as if they haven't had enough taken away from them...

wow. really awesome, guys, real sweet..

(100% sarcasm)

Oh but doctors do give days till death.Everyone in my family had a date.One year,30days etc etc.That is what makes me mad about doctors only God knows when you'll die.

This seems kind of hard to believe.Didnt they notice her running around the house if she was so sick??

GOOD DAY all
yes.... even to you all not so nice people that are so very quick to judge. let me ask you a question for example.... what if you took your mom/dad/brother/sister/son/daughter/grandchild to the doctor and found out that they have a cancer and they do not have a lot of time left to live. im sure the 1st thing you will do after you get back home is say well they got cancer and who knows how long to live. well LETS START CLEANING THE HOUSE cause its kinda dirty. or WOULD YOU SAY F#&% the house im gonna spend AS MUCH TIME WITH MY LOVED ONE AS I CAN. because WE are not promised that we will all wake up tommorow and when you hear that you have a death cloud above your head im sure YOU all would forget about the clean/dirty house and maybe you just maybe even forget to eat sleep and do a lot of NORMAL things that should be done everyday.... so even if YOU dont believe it ,i pray that I and YOU ALL never have to find out what you would or wouldnt do in this same kind of situation.... remember GOD/JESUS/and/or/WHOM/ WHAT EVER you believe in will make sure to protect you me and the ones we love....i will pray for the sweet angels family and maybe you YES YOU should too.... bless me you and even them too????????

true or not it tell of what love realy is,thank about it.peace!

People are so cruel. Maybe she was given somewhere in the time frame of like 5 months and the person who wrote the article turned it into days. As for the notes, I believe them. How many of you have CD's sitting on your selves that you haven't listened too in a couple of years, I know I do and when I dust them I don't take them down I run the rag on the top of the stack. Same goes for backpacks, when you don't use it you don't look in it until you are going to get rid of it which could be some time later.
And no where in the story does it say they just found the notes. Chances are they started finding them right away but as the years have gone on they found enough to amount to a large number.
My daughter writes me notes all the time a lot of the time they get shoved under the couch or flutter under the fridge. Sounds to me like some of you don't have good relationships with your children or you would know about the "love" notes cause you would be getting them.

I'm really surprised to see all of the mean comments! How often do you clean out your CD cases?? And like Vickie said-- Maybe they didn't feel much like cleaning!!!!!Who knows how long they were in and out of the hospital, also. Pretty skeptical of you. What makes you guys experts of this story. Have a little sympathy!!!

What happened to this beautiful, brave little girl was very sad and the notes she left behind for her Mom and Dad says she has a big heart. The negative comments some people left here are reprehensible and should be erased. Her Mom and Dad I'm sure are hurting beyond words and to leave comments like this is evil. Housework would be last thing on my mind if I had a sweet daughter that did not have long to live because of something so horrible. I would be too sick to my stomach to be doing anything at all! Those who did leave such comments should think about how they would feel if they or someone dear to them was diagnosed but people like them are the reason why there's so much pain and suffering in the world. We don't need people like that period!

Kinda story that breaks your heart when yo read or hear about,despite all the jaded, skeptical commentators.

Damn, stop with the whole "It's fake" "Completely absurd" etc. etc. A life was taken away. It's hard for anyone to accept that they won't see their bestfriend, sister, mom, dad, brother, son, niece, etc. again. Leave it as it is and send your condolences to this family to ease their pain.

Wellll, the number of notes or the days to live may be exaggerated. But I believe that this little girl did do this. And I am pretty sure that any parent losing a child would not clean house from top to bottom...it would be hard to get through the basic neccesities. You bitter people make me sad. So uneccesarily mean & negative. Jeez, I hope you try to enjoy life & those around you.

hahhhhahahahaha these comments are funny...the ones that crack me the most are the ones from people that are butt-hurt over reading all the negativity. Thanks for the laughs guys..I needed that.

WOWWW.. What if this was your little girl and people were sayin it was fake or just something to get their book out?? You people are pathetic! Instead of writing these rude and unture things why dont you look up and get more of the story before claiming its fake.. HOW WOULD YOU FEEL TO FIND THIS ARTICLE ONLINE WITH ALL THESE POSTS SAYING ITS NOT TRUE WHEN IN FACT IT IS!?!? That would tear a parent to peices to read from people that their daughters death was untrue and just a publicity stunt! I know I would be devastated! and YES doctors can and will give an ESTIMATE of life expectency! you people are ridiculous... GET A LIFE!

-The notes were awesome and something I would wish to find if something this tragic happened to me!

wonderdful story made me tear lots of love to this family!!!!!!!!

While we try to teach our children all about life,
Our children teach us what life is all about. God has blessed us with your beautiful daughter while she was here. We have learned much from her youthful wisdom and the pure love of her abbreviated life. God bless you all.

How sad.....a kid dieing in a young age......she's only 6 years old not even in middle school yet...That is so sad......

I don't know, apparently those people who think the parents should have found her notes before don't have kids... I have a perfectly healthy 2 year old and let me tell you, I haven't had the time to rearrange our CD or book collection once in the last two years.

I also have to say that you tend to overlook those small things when you are busy. Every day I find a little scribble from my two year old and throw it out - these things take on a different value when the person who made them is gone.

ok, when you have a child with cancer and they are going to the hospital all the time you have to tell them what is wrong with them. Children aren't stupid. I have worked with children with brain tumors foundation and ride for kids and the children yes as young as they are know what is wrong with them. So for all of you stupid people out there that have to be so mean and negative grow up. God forbid you ever go thru something like this.

Last year I was given 5 years to live with ovarian cancer. I beat it but it came back after 7 months. After 4 treatments out of 6, the doctor told me there was nothing left to treat, now cancer free and extended my expectancy to another 5 years!!

Geesh... I don't think the story said that the parents never found any notes or that they didn't know their daughter was hiding notes before she died. I think you guys are making assumptions. If my little son was dying and wanted to do something nice so that we would remember him, I wouldn't spoil his efforts by exposing him, reading his notes and letting him know that I found it, etc. etc.... Such skeptics.... The facts are - little girl died, she left notes for her parents telling them that she love them. Absolutely tender.

First of all, Doctors do sometimes give an estimate of how long someboby will live. They may not give the exact days (probably the writer adding a bit more drama)but they don't just say "your daughter is going to die." People ask how long. A year, 6 months, a week, etc. Second of all, this girl DIED. Do you really think she could go to school? No. So her parents probably kept her at home which means that all her stuff could have been around the house. Sure her parents must have seen some but they never saw the amount. Also, 6 year olds aren't stupid. If they are going the hospital, and getting treatment, they will realize something is wrong. This child died from an illness, let us honor both her and her family, and do our best to prevent this from happening. Let us keep our negative commments to ourselves and help others.

I work with a nurse who's sister knows the parents of this child, because their daughter has the same cancer and she is dying as well. This is a true story and a very sad story. I find it very sad that anyone would post such negative comments about this story. Shame on you!

Wow, please do not invite me to any parties. You guys are so cynical it's sad. If you read a few more articles and go to the website, you will see that some of this may be due to the writer, some due to publicity. At the end of the string, there is still a family who lost a little girl who loved her parents enough to leave them a bunch of notes that showed them how she felt. There, better now?

Go out and kick a puppy!

I have a niece that died of canser at 4 years old. She had neuroblastoma. I think those notes she left around the house were priceless. It gives you a little look into a child blameless heart. It should be a lesson to us adults. If we try a little notes hiding while we are healthy to our spouse or children and let them know how much they are loved. It is a way to give a little of ourseleves toour loves ones.
I pray that family enjoys each note. for those haters out there, i feel sorry for you. you find the bad in evertything. It is not about cleaning or what ever you other readerss wrote. IT is abouta child who dispite her cancer still saw joy. Maybe adults can learn something . Dispite your hardships, you should still find some joy. Life is very short.

I did not see anywhere in the story that said the parents DIDN'T find notes before she died!

To everyone, real story or not, it warms the heart. In these troubled times, its nice to have a feel good story about the kindness of children. They havent learned to be sad, just live every day playing and giving love. As far as the book goes, they did say that the $ went to fighting pediatric brain cancer. I'll buy it just to help this cause. Peace!

Agree with sc111.
You people are sad.
Whether the story is true or not.

Really, you cynics! You should be ashamed. A little fact checking and you'd find that the story is true. While little Elena was going through treatment, a story was written in the paper about her which her mother said they had "pads of paper for notes" all around the house so that Elena could communicate. SEe:
http://www.wcpo.com/mostpopular/story/Saving-Elena-Desserich/2fJQhFJn2 kG-T5y8IX2wEg.cspx

As far as "135 days"--I am sure that "Four to Five months" could be what the doctor said. If you look at this story, it was written to say she actually lived for "255 days" hence the comparison.

My heart goes out to this family..

If you check out the National Childhood Cancer Foundation, you will find this same story. I really feel sorry for those that feel that they need to post such negative comments on here. I hope that the family does not read them. Being a mother that has lost a son I know that I would be sick to read some of these comments. Not every story that you read is tied to a person trying to make a dollar on someones misfortune. If you don't believe the story then fine, but that doesn't mean that you have to post such horrible things about people. These are people that you don't even know. Walk a mile in there shoes then you can sit in judgment.

Guess what skeptics? I knew a little boy just like this little girl. he too died. His tumor is the only one that has been kept alive at Stanford so they can experiment with cures. Look it up on the Stanford hospital files. His name is Dylan. Dylan was just as thoughtful as this little girl was. It's a shame to doubt what wonderful, thoughtful, love-filled people kids are. You world is certainly darker for it.

fake or not, all I can say is even a 6 years old can do extra ordinary things. and by the way those letters were hidden at places we normally don't clean daily or weekly basis.

Aw! She is such a sweetie! So cute! She left those notes for her parents... such a sweetie!

Ok stop saying they didn't clean their house you idiots unless it says the day she put them out then maybe but she probably built them up and hid them in her room. then put them out later!!

hate 2b cynical but i agree with dcelmer....right when i read the headline it sounded phony to me....i think it's a great story but not one based on fact....it's probably just a fundraising gimmick....sad story none the less...

some doctors may say such thing: to pin point the time frame of one's life.. my mom was diagnosed with kidney failure/kidney stones and the doctor said to my mom"you only have 4 months" but my mom lived morethan 4 months which turns to 5 years...
________
in connection with this kid maybe the parents doesnt clean up their house the way we do... or just do the basic cleaning & just spent their time with their dying kid... right? so dont be too much judgemental people....
God only knows the real.. maybe they really speak the truth.

Maybe the timeline is somewhat off, and how many of you clean between cds or go to the bottom of some of your shelves, the point is this amazing little girl knew what she was facing and still thought of her family and how much she loves them. I'm saddened by the fact our society is so cynical that a beautiful story like this is looked at with such disdain. Pray none of your children should have the same thing happen to them.

My son just got out of the hospital where he was for a full 7 days. I can tell you, I didn't leave the hospital for more than a TOTAL of 2 hours the whole time. When your child is ill, you do what you have to do. Everything else goes by the waist side. I'm sorry if so many people are having a hard time believing this story but that just shows what a emotionally poor society we have become. And this family IS NOT profiting from the book, the proceeds are going to a cancer research organization. Not exactly the money maker people here are making it out to be. I have sympathy for the family who lost their child but I pity you all who have said such hateful things here. THAT is what is tragic.

wow...u guys are so heartles...how would u feel if u lost a child?! my heart goes out to the family and i hope thhat they will be able to keep living life without her. this is not fake. The first few comments on this page are disugusting...

Well seeing so much negativity I decided to look things up a bit because conspiricist love to see proof. I found several local articles from when Elena was alive. her story talks about how her baby sister at age 3 worked hard to raise some money for St Jude. What it boils down to is this... cancer is no joke so the fact that they are raising money to assist in research tells me that they arent exploiting or making up things. You never know if the money they raise will one day help one of your loved ones so if all you have to do is say negative things about a family fighting such a horrible demom, maybe you should devote your energy to something positive like they are doing. God Bless them and all who have helped. To those who cared more outing it as a hoax should take a look.

First off I'm very sorry for the loss and I can't imagine losing my child. If my daughter was dying of cancer I sure would not be worried about dusting the house. Too many people assume the negative side. Bottom line, this husband and wife lost their little girl and weather or not the notes were fake this does not change the fact they lost their child.

If you have children you would not be able to picture them not in your life once they are there. And for the jerk who said " making money off some kids death " if you know how to read then you would saw the part " funding a non-profit organization " I'm 25 and electrician with a beautiful wife and son so why don't you lazy kids get off your ass and be a man and realize you have feelings or you can just go play your video games that your mom and dad bought you and live off their hard earned money but the rest of us hard working mid-class people will keep doing what we do best taking care of business

I am the 150th !!!!

I believe that when something this traumatic happens you may not be able to keep up with daily chores. You dont know these peoples circumstances. They could have spent all 255 days with their dying child at the hospital...I believe that true love reveals itself in one way or another after a love one has past. And many people may think it is a bogus story, but I dont. To each his own.

How the hell can anyone read this small part of the story and determine this family is lying. I hope you disgusting animals burn in hell quickly. I thought I was low for griping on sports blog. But to post negative comments about the death of a 6 year old little girl.....wow. I hope you Dick Tracys feel big. And most of all to the doctor who posted saying she knew it was a hoax because of a time frame, shame on you. You should know better.

If this is fake, I was duped. None of the comments regarding how this couldn't be true even occurred to me. We live in a skeptical world. Why would someone fake all this stuff to raise money for pediatric oncology? Why not just start a foundation? At any rate, I'm surprised at all the negative energy in the world.

It's easy to be harsh. No one knows how exactly this story went. Some fabrication maybe. The number of days, to the number of notes. One thing is for certain..the little girl loved her family. In time of grief people don't take the time to clean or count or even realize what is going on in front of them. You may find a note and blow the first two or three off. But later when you have time to pull yourself together you soon realize there is more than a reason. When you finally come to some peace you start to see what you couldn't see before. Remember meanness is easy compaired to kindness.

I feel bad as well i wil pray for you. I wish you the baest of luck.

This story was on Good Morning America.

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/JustOneThing/story?id=6494966&page=1

My 3 yr old was diagnosed with cancer in your eye 2 mths ago. doctors said if they did not remove her eye that it would spread to the brain and she would have 6-8 mths to live so yes you can put a time frame on it. she will have to do test for a few more yrs every few mths just to check on the cancer, it takes all your time and a clean house is last on the list. you should be ashamed of yourself for saying such bad things. it has been 2 mths of hell for me and yes my house being clean is last on my list some days. people should stop and think before they speak.

we do not know if this is true or not but if it is we should just pray for the family but if it is false SHAME on the parents and they deserve every bad thing they get.

You know, I agree with Justin, Michelle, Shannon, Heather and SC111!!!

First of all, I'm a Peds Surgeon, so to the Onconurse, sometimes we are able to give prognostic details about cancer depending on the type, severity of the tumor, growth rate, whether it's malignant or benign, it's location, size, cause and treatment, otherwise, as physicians (or healthcare practitioners in general) we wouldn't have a baseline to go by for the ultimate "how long do you think I have" question. Obviously, pin pointing a precise date is off b/c only God knows that, but we can say 3 - 5 months (which would be +/- 135 days) or longer depending on the aforementioned factors.

Secondly, children do things like this for their parents and others they're leaving behind a lot, so the story isn't too far-fetched. Even kids who aren't ill leave their parents notes sometimes that they don't find for days or weeks (I used to do it as a child and my kids do it too - my husband and I think it's sweet because we'll find them sometimes weeks later - yeah, we clean, but who looks in ever nook and cranny of their home everyday?).

Furthermore, parents are in the hospital with their children (if they aren't home) taking turns spending the night; if they're home, I can assure you that cleaning CDs and bookcases is NOT a priority. Their daughter could have left the notes in an array of places that her parents never looked in (i.e. shoe boxes, under the bed, under the mattress, in coat pockets, inside of CD or DVD cases, the attic, etc...).

In closing, the point is people, quit focusing on the negative b/c this might just be a genuine story - that's between the parents, their daughter and GOD!! It's so sad that we're so cynical about things and so quick to pass judgment and assume the worst always. There's still good in the world, there are still genuine stories and I pray that it doesn't stop. I see miracles everyday in the hospital and although some things end not so favorably (especially the passing of a 6 year old), look for the good in the fact that she left her mom and dad sweet notes to make them smile.

Wow. Why can't you guys believe in one good thing once. Maybe a day before she died she hid the notes. Anyways, the parents are donating all the money to the cancer program, so do you really think it was scam?

Did it ever occur to you dumb asses that 135 days is 4 and one half months / which is probably what the doctor said / in any case people don't make up crap for profit and then give it to charity / my heart is sad for the little ANGEL and her family

My heart and compassion go out to the family. I have a young daughter who still leaving me love notes around my bedroom to remind me of how much she loves me. Reading them when she's not at home already making me cry. I can't imagine never getting to see your daughter again.
My sympathy goes out to these cold hearted morons that made these crude comments above. They don't have any brain or compassion to understand what is like to be loved or to lose loved ones. We should feel sorry for them instead of getting angry at them. They are too foolish to know any better.

It only took me 2 minutes to find an interview on the today show w/ this family. looks totally legit. maybe some of you skeptics could take the same two minutes and check something out before going off in the wrong direction. I'm just saying...

I am sad that the very first post was about the legitimacy of the article rather than the ultimate loss this family is facing. Part of me is saying don’t even feed into these people with no lives, but then part of me says to address it because someone needs to speak some sanity into this cluster. This child may have been told by someone to put these love letters in hiding places for her mommy and daddy or she may have done it on her own will, children are very bright. The point is that they are using her life to better someone else’s. I am sure the non-profit this book will serve is very grateful. Without being an inconsiderate jerk myself I would like to say to the oncology nurse who posted such ridiculous remarks, I question your legitimacy and would like to know where you are currently employed as to avoid that hospital. I also would like to suggest to the rest of you, before you post your unreasonable, thoughtless remarks, the least you can do is hit spell check. Literate thoughtless remarks are much less embarrassing. My heart breaks for the family of this child and I pray they never see such awful words about their child.

Sorry shes dead, but every little girl writes notes like that to her parents at that age. I found like 15 of them alone in one of my dad's old photo albums.

You guys are assholes,even if they are fake a little girl just died have some sympathy.I'm only 17 and I know when I should just keep my mouth shut!

A friend of mine left encouraging notes to me in all of my stuff. I'm still finding notes and it's been three years. Just saying. It's not impossible. Touching story.

Mary, Agreed!

I also work in a hospital and very few doctors want to tell a pt. or family that a person is dying. However, I have found the Oncologists are the exception to the rule, they will give a time frame. For my Mom it was 6 to 9 mos. for a friend it was 12 months. Maybe this family chose a specific number of days rather than a number of weeks. 135 days sounds longer than 20 weeks.
If Elena was like most kids they know which CD's we listen to or which ones we rarely choose. Maybe she hid them in a rarely accessed bookcase. If she hid them in her back pack, they wouldn't look there for a while. Oh well if I am being naive it will not be the first time.

First, my condolences to the family.

Since it is likely that no-one is actually reading this far into such an awful thread, I'd like to hide my own little note here, with a few facts. One, it is a stunningly beautiful day here in Southern California. I do wish you all could see it. Two, I own the best dog in the world. It worries me that her nose is almost all grey now, but she is the sweetest thing.

Further, since this likely won't be read at all, I'll add that the restaurant near my house makes the finest Mediterranean food that I've ever found. It's run by a Syrian family, and we always have a good chat along with the food there. Try the houmous.

Finally, I'll mention the Nazis. According to the rules of the internet, upon mentioning Nazis in a thread, the argument is then over, and you all can quit posting, thanks.

The parents aren't using their daughter's death as a way to sell their book for profit. The money is going toward the operation for the patients with cancer. Doing otherwise would truly be sickening and inhumane.

Who cares what anyone of us thinks. They are selling this book for research not profit (non-profit organization The Cure Starts Now dedicated to fighting pediatric brain cancer). The girl real or not signifies what is REALLY happening to families and we can not turn our backs on this! Critics are all around us and this is why NOTHING ever gets done. Think about this in a positive light, this story fiction or non could be used for good and change someones life forever! Maybe even your own childs.
Side note to nurse-

To the so called Oncology nurse-shame on you. 135 days equals just over four months a real prognosis for this type of cancer. You of all people should be pushing for more research unless you just do it for profit...

I understand why so many don't believe this story and are looking for flaws. It is because we live in a world of manipulative media. Not just the news, but politics, marketing, even ministries. All know that "crisis" is the effective word. All of us have been duped at some point by a smart operator. However, I hope and suspect that this is a true story. And to Guy, go back and read your posts. Your lack of Hope shows.

I am heartbroken for you all. your daughter has touched my soul with the love she showed for yall. I did not know her, but I will never forget this little angel. I also believe she is watching over her family from the very arms of God..

easy there detectives. like many good stories some parts might be exaggerated, but it doesn't mean this didn't happen. I believe it and for someone who has a daughter, it leaves me with a heavy heart. The proceeds go to a good cause anyway.

nobody here is asking anyone to solve anything. if you want to live your life listening to the news or some sad ass story and make everything sad around you fine but this is just a nice story to a tragic ending to a young girls life. if you cant see it for that go somewhere else and be a jerk

My heart goes out to the family! Your daughter will be in our prayers. I have a 6 year old and I wouldn't know how to act if that happened to us. The letters are great and she left you with a lot of memories. Good luck! I wish you the best!

I for one am glad people are cynical. Why shouldn't they? Anyone can post a blog these days, who is there to validate the source and credibility? Neatorama.com? I never even heard of them. It's good to know that the majority of the people out there are smart, can analyze and are not fooled by some hoax. For those who are condemning the cynics, you would wake up and open your eyes. Read deeper than just the surface.

People having to find the negative in something so sweet!! You never know maybe God had a hand in it so they would not find them till after she was gone!! Ever think of that.

Deep cleaning such as looking between CDs is the last thing on your mind when you have a child dying!! I lost a cousin to the same thing and trust me dying is bad but a child. Give this family something to be proud of don't find a flaw in a child loving their parents and leaving something behind.

In the end, this child passed on her message of love to her parents and to all of us who do believe.
God bless her family.

what on earth is wrong with you lot

Im guessing the majority of the negative comments have had no first hand or even second hand experience with terminal illness yet still feel qualified enough to comment about what does or does not happen, that's just sad

Yes doctors do give guesstimate time of demise, it means the person may die earlier or later, the emphasis is they believe given the current situation that the person will die, it is the help the family prepare and make their peace

Heavens knows, that's what the parents wanted to do, spend the finals days locked up in the house waiting... sending their child to school, because she was fit for school and all. Or maybe they could have done everything in their power to show their child as much of the world as they can, to make up for the years she will never live. Home was probably just a pit stop between trips to the hospital and field trips to make the most of their time together, 255 days is not that long, almost 10% of her total life

Just curious if all the negative people clean their cd rack every time they clean. The story is really great.

wow some of you people are not very smart. try a google it or look at other sites. it is real and she is real. you people have heard of parents that never changed a thing in there childs room after they moved out let alone passed away so it doesn't surprise me they found the notes. you people are so sad...

Well of all the nerve of you people who THINK it is a bunch of garbage (or BS and other words that should not
be printed on here). Would YOU just STOP & THINK for a minute!? I had my Mother at home 3-4 months in 1989. She was dying of cancer of the esophagus. Do YOU think that I was interested in "cleaning house"?! Don't be an
absurd idiot! I was busy taking care of her (meds & all
I gave her) and now that I think of it, I DID NOT clean
the house that I recall in that time. It wasn't filthy but I NEVER thought of that! I LOVED HER and took care of her and I am sure these parents did the same for their own child! Wouldn't YOU? Oh maybe not, perhaps a clean house is more important than TIME with a loved one who is dying and you won't be able to hold them or love on them and kiss them anymore...but YOU have so many more things to do; like CLEAN HOUSE!! Yea right! What a bunch of BULL! I feel for you, but so sorry I can't reach you!

This is why the saying that Man will create his own destruction is so true. All these negative people writing will some day meet their creator and understand what life is all about. It is a good thing that Elena is now with GOD so she doesn't have to suffer living in a life with such negative and selfish people that only know to look for other people's faults because they lack the courage to look at theirs and try and fix them. Rest in peace Elena and God bless the Desserich family for bringing a warm smile and tears to my family and using their sad experience to help other innocent children.

P.S. I have four beautiful children from the ages of 2 to 11 and you would be surprised how innocent and smart they are at their age and how big their imagination is. So I don't think this is in any way a hoax.

you people are nincumpoops!! SERIOUSLY?! This is a heartwarming story ... leave the judging to God and God ALONE!

My husband was diagnosed with incurable cancer March 2008. It has been a living hell for him. If he were a child he would still know that something is real wrong when you have to constantly go to the doctors, cancer centers etc. And who said they told the child what her time was. And no one knows when she left the notes. My grandson hids things all the time and I just come upon them not really looking for them. A piece of paper in a CD case - when would you find it unless you were getting ready to listen to the CD?

We were just told last Friday that probably he has less than a year - and yes they do tell patients some kind of time frame so they and their family members can start preparing for the end. Noone but God knows the final time but the doctors do have an idea from past experience.

I can not even imagine losing a child or grandchild to this horrendous disease. It steals life right from the patient and the family.

I pray for healing and mercy for Elena's parents and family members for their loss.

Oh no, Doctors never ever give a specific time frame at all when they are telling a patient who says "how long do I have?" and the ZDcotor says "6 months." nah, that never happens, not at all... Yeah, this is a hoax to the inth degree as is it when anybody else says a Doctor sais they only have a certain amount of time....Come on people, are you serious. Doctors, put timelines on patients lives' when they are really sick all the time. I believe this story and I think it is cute

I am just speechless at the negative comments here. There are way too many sick human beings on this planet. Pure evil.
To the family and friends of this little girl. I pray that the cruel words left here will be ignored as there are many of us out here who feel your pain when we read this precious story. Most of us are still kind, caring human beings. Your story has touched my heart and i hope Elena's book raises lots of money for research. God bless you.
As for those out to hurt innocent people who are grieving their daughter..you WILL answer for it someday for sure.

I can't understand how there can be so many out there so very narrow minded and cold hearted. For once in you life did you ever hear ... if you have nothing good to say ... say nothing at all. Who are you to judge or say ... why you would think it to be a lie just because of how long it came out to have found the notes... it never mentions just how long it took them. I know first hand that it can take a long time .. I just lost my 24 year old daughter in July .. she was murdered ... I to this day haven't finished going through all her things ... in part of what I have I found several journals she wrote in ... and the things I found are things that I know would do good for many to have them shared but I wont cuz it's hard as it is and with what actually happened I'm saving them to present to those who took her life .... yet there's still so much left that I have no idea what all I will find. I have a granddaughter of 8 she writes just as she did ... I find these kind of notes all over the place and know she hides many more ... as she finds whatever she possibly can to write on ... I find hearts, stick people .. and just all kinds of things ... and since my daughter passed away .. she draws of her a lot ... and those pics of the notes are of a young child and of a young mind ... there's no way it could be otherwise and it doesn't matter ... you know there is too much negativity in this world and that's why such horrible things happen ... I had to face stupid comments like some I've seen here posted on my daughters stuff and have to say I was a bit shocked how low, and bored one was that they had nothing better to do ... than to post their stupidity for everyone to see. Oddly enough it made me strong and let me know how one will do ... and I just pray that one day they wont be wearing the shoe on the other foot and truly knowing what we've gone through loosing our child ... yet you know how the saying goes .. what goes around comes around ... and that's pretty frightful ... if you ask me ... God is giving and good ... what he does is because it's something in his part to insure them an eternity of no more pain ... no more sorrow ... no more worries. I know the grief and mine of the loss of our children are different in their own ways ... I just pray that they never loose faith ... talk about what hurts them ... and not to let negivtity over ride the love that God gives them every moment of every day ... since he's taken them under wing ... I give my heartfelt condolences and know that grieving will be forever ... and I too would prefer not to find them all at one time but through out ... so I can have the piece of her love each time I did ... As for all those out there that have nothing good to say ... I'll pray for you ... I have a feeling you will really be needing it. And for those that have love, compassion and a Love of God in their hearts with the heartfelt posting ... God Bless you

I have read the numerouse comments about this being bogus. My daughter was killed in a car accident, for months my spotless house was no longer clean...My dustbunnies grew into full blown rabbits and I could care less. For months afterwards, I too found small notes, photos and such that I had no clue about and would appear in the most unusual places...When someone is going through the loss or potential loss of someone they love especially a young child...everything takes on a new meaning and things at one time that were important are no longer important. So please quit with harping on this being bogus, just let a loving child touch your heart and make you take compassion on a family that has lost a child...Which is the worst thing that any parent can go through.

Taking care of someone with cancer you don't get to do your normal day to day activities. It's a disease that kills. So finding notes will help the parents to heal. I know while my dad was dying of cancer it was hard for my mom to make sure the house was super clean. The doctors did tell my dad he only had 6 months to leave. From the time the doctors told him that til he died it was 6 months and 12 days. Because he wanted to live to their wedding anniversary. SO some doctors are right in giving days, weeks, months or years. Some people can be so cruel.

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/JustOneThing/story?id=6494966&page=1&page=1 this is not fake if it'z on the NEWS..

Real who knows, fake who cares. If you found a few before hand ok! I could not imagine losing a child to cancer! For all you mean people that did not believe this story, the end says all proceeds from this publication go to a NON-PROFIT organization that will search for a cure for pediatric brain cancer! I would buy a copy to help fund that!!!!

Ummm, IF you would have read the story (all you nay sayers) you would have seen that they are
GIVING THE PROFIT AWAY !!!

Regardless if it is 100% true or not... these people are NOT keeping any sales, they are donating it to a non profit organization.

If you can't say anything positive, why say anything at all?

Nice story...

This is ridiculous. They should stop this right now. This is an embarrassment to this article in which it has PROOF that this is real. And Guy, this is about a little girl who died, not about religion so please stop typing for the sake of everyone.

I just wanted to say sorry for your loss. People should not judge weather a story is true or fake without knowing the facts. I lost my wife to cancer last year. And my house did not stay clean. During her illness, a clean house was the last thing on my mind. So unless you know what you are talking about from experience, you should not leave such negative comment.

Why must people be so negative these days? Even the smallest amount of love on this miserable little rock in space is seen as about the gayest, corniest thing ever.

With the attitude people have these days, things will never get any better. So what if the kid loved her parents? What's wrong with that?

It's stories like these that make me completely positive that god doesn't exist. I love the comments where people put "god forbid that doesn't happen to us." pathetic.

To all the cynics accusing the parents of using their daughters terminal sickness as a means to make a profit: The parents aren't making a profit, they're donating all the proceeds to their cancer foundation The Cure Starts Now.

Yeah why does everyone b so mean, i mean that i would probably notice that i was gonna die soon if i had brain cancer even if i was a 5 year old. Wow. And its adorable that she left notes for her parents.

that poor family:( waht a sweet child to leave notes like that. you guy that say this is fake and made up are just jerks with no hearts!!

From my own experience in losing both of my parents to cancer - doctors DO tell you how long you have to live. With my dad, they said 2 weeks to a month. With my mom, they said one or two months. To say that doctors don't give timelines is ridiculous, because they do all the time with terminally ill patients.

I think this is a very touching story.

All the people leaving negative comments need to find the nearest cliff and jump off. Only pathetic pieces of crap would post negative comments. Even if you feel the story is fake, keep it to yourself.

Rot in hell jerks.

Did anyone read the excerpt at http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/33505113/ns/today-today_books/??

I'm not really sure what parent in their right mind would seriously go to such great lengths to make up a story like this but I'd like to believe the story is real.

We dont know every specific detail of what exactly happened or how or when she hide the notes but I thought it was a heartwarming story and we should all be a little more sympathetic.

You maggots who point the finger at these people are bottomfeeders.

When I read this story, I was touched and I sob a little and then I read the comments I was shocked and confused cz I dont know what to believe. lol.
Poor me.

awwwwwwww, that's so sweet!!!! if my daughter had brain cancer and she did that for us, it would make me miss her even more than i already did... who else would do that? i wonder how long it took her to write all those notes..... dont you??? this is why you need to live your life to its fullest, and appreciate what you have. never let someone tell you that you cant do something, you have to believe that you can do anything!

Yeah. I call B.S. on this story. My mother had cancer. Due to the chemo lowering her immune system 100 fold, we had to keep the house absolutely SPOTLESS. For them not to find a single one of the "100"s.. It's adorable. But then again, so is Doctor Seuss.

Maybe they found a note a day or a couple notes a week. No one said they found all the notes at one time. You people really take the cake. I believed it from the beginning as I belived it the first time I saw the story a while ago.

And who's to say that the doctors said she has 5 months to live and the parents broke it down into days to make the little girl understand better.

It is no surprise the world is the way it is today. No one has class or values anymore. No one has compassion or sympathy anymore. We are all going straight the hell when the world ends. Shame on each and everyone of you who said something negative.

And for those of you who apparently can't read, the profits from this book are going to charity!!!

the money goes to a non-profit organization. Maybe if half of you pulled your head out of your wazoo and not be so critical, you get absorb the entire story.

I just want to say to all the ignorant people out there that this is a true story. Just Google it you morons and several tv stations have aired this story some time ago and is probably popping back up because of the book that is being released to benefit their organization that helps children and parents who have or are going through the same type of situation.

i think that is cool that this kid did that you know and even if it is or if it is not true it is still very sweet and i am not going to sit here and say that it is not cuase i think it is true

wow what a story and crazy sad i feel for her parents.

I agree with you. And don't say I have no respect for adults because I do. You're all heartless people and a waste of human life. Is there no trust in this world?

Oh my goodness! Some of you should be ashamed of yourself-135 days is another way to say 4 1/2 months. Also, I do not think it's uncommon for a doctor to give a time line for an individual to live-some diseases progress very rapidly & others slowly. But yes, each individual is different. Children will hide things in very unexpected places. When my brother was young he hid my parents car keys in our bread maker. If you don't use an item such as a bread maker or in this case listen to a certain cd, you would never know the keys or a note were hidden inside.

So is this the kids version of "P.S. I Love you?". I don't know if it's true or not. One thing is certain, it's sad that a little girl lost her life due to brain cancer. As a brain cancer survivor, I don't take that very lightly at all. If it's not true and the parents created this hoax I wonder what else they could've fabricated. Has an investigation been done to really see what the actual cause of death was? What about the publisher about this story? Did he or she check the facts? If not it can really hurt a large Corporation's reputation and diminish trust amongst its readers.

I'm amused by the anger pointed at the critics. I think they are cynical idiots, but let's not take the light from the story.

I call you cynics idiots for good reason. I'm sure most of you read 1 or 2 line and passed judgment and felt so high-and-mighty that you just had to post how fake this story was to you. Did you miss the part where book sales go to a non-profit charity? Or was it the part where some notes were found in backpacks and between CDs? Maybe you assumed the 135 days was an exact quote from the doctor and not an arbitrary number from the writer.

I've lost several family members to cancer and various other terminal illnesses. And yet I managed to find time to clean between every bookshelf and clean out every backpack pocket - daily of course. (sure I did) Despite you lack of compassion and witless dismissals, I hope you never have to feel the pain and the loss that comes with losing a child. No parent should have to bury their child.

Even if they made millions off a book, if they really lost a child, how much would that money help their empty homes?

I won't say I've never passed judgement on another, but try to have your facts in order before you make an ass of yourself and embarrass the rest of us compassionate humans that must share this planet with you.

Probably a neuroblastoma secondary to a dusty environment.

I think this story is beautiful. It doesn't mean they didn't clean, but who cleans every inch of there house between cd cases, in drawers or what not every single time you clean. I don't understand why people have to take such a cute story and twist it into something as awful as hoax. If my child had brain cancer I sure wouldn't be clean every single little thing. Its a very sweet thing this little girl did being sick and all that she could think of it during her tryin times. I hope the book is very successful.

So after a little bit of reading, I'm back to say that I don't think that MSNBC would put Meredith Viera into an interview with this family if it were all a hoax. I do realize the country's been bamboozled a lot lately, but those of you hollering "Liar" at these parents need to come up with some proof, other than your own nasty annonymous opinions.

The cynnical and callous disregard of events that are so emotionally meaningful to others has made me wonder about the US a lot lately. Like protesters going to a military funeral for a local boy killed in Iraq with "God Hates Fags" signs... When/why did we become such jerks?

It's always been our way to be likeably brash, open and a little arrogant (like Aussies!), but even being so, there was always a line, - a sense of decorum and propriety in the US that seems to have been totally abandoned now. Maybe THAT'S one of the things that reverent Muslims don't understand or like about Western (US) culture. If so, I think I'd have to agree with them.

if you have ever lost someone you love to cancer or seen someone you love go through it you will know not to add onto the grief of the parents cleaning or no cleaning i am a doctor oncology hematology and i have seen the pain first hand with my father who has chroncmelomonocytic leukimia,and with my patiens.be a little more human an walk a mile in there shoes.and yes we may not tell the little girl you dont have too long to live but we will tell the next of kin an estimate of the time depending on the progression of the disease and previous case studies and survival rates.

Well it's to bad the world lost a sweet litte girl
I do hope she did leave a few notes for her Mommy
and Daddy...and if the money goes to save just one
child ..it's just money after all...go kiss your
kids and don't worry about the rest...

good bless the family !!!
and good bless all those negative people , they don't know any better !! This world is so so cruel

YOU PEOPLE WHO ARE NEGATIVE ARE SICK AND YOU DON'T WANT THIS TO HAPPEN TO YOU OR YOUR SISTER, MOM, KID, NIECE OR A GOOD FRIENDS LITTLE GIRL DO YOU? NO??? DIDN'T THINK SO...DON'T YOU THINK EVERY TIME THEY FIND THESE NOTES IT TEARS THEM UP INSIDE AS WELL AS MAKES THEM SMILE? THEY MUST GO ON YES THIS IS TRUE BUT THE LAST THING ON MY TO DO LIST WOULD BE IS TO CLEAN HOUSE THROUGHLY JUST THE BASICS TIL ITS NEEDED....

Well it is a good story. Seems valid and as far as this article is concerned it never said the notes were just found only that it is being published. That takes time folk's. The little girl meant well but what heart breakers when found.

I believe this story. I can't believe the nasty comments people are writing about this little girl and her family. I have a 5 year old daughter and every day she is writing notes and drawing pictures of our family similiar to the ones Elena wrote. It wouldn't take my daughter long to write hundreds of notes. Anybody with kids can understand how these notes could go unnoticed especially while the parents were dealing with losing a child.

My grand daughter lived with me two years ago. I am still finding notes she left. It has nothing to do with cleaning. Sometimes I will open an old notebook, a color sheet, a homemade card, etc. "I Love Maw Maw. Thank you Maw Maw. I love Paw Paw. Thank you for teaching me Spirit ...". Children have a lot of love for their caretakers. As she learned to write words she expressed her thoughts. She was 6 too.

This story was not at all hard to believe. The money from the book is to go to Pediatric Brain Cancer research. How sad that so many of you are jaded and hardened. Visit a children's cancer hospital and grow a heart. Spend time with the parents there.

I absolutely cannot believe the comments on here. It is absurd to think that people could be so cruel. This little girl died an awful death and left her parents here to grieve for a life time. I'm glad her parents have the letters to comfort them a little. Not all doctors give timelines for how long people have to live, but it is not totally far fetched. I've known three people that have died of cancer in the last 5 years and each one of them was given a timeline, so I think you should check your facts before you bash this story!!! I'm praying for this family and for all of the people that were so quick to pass judgement. It's not for us to judge anyway. That should be left for God.

I truly believe that the negativity is not coming from this story itself or peoples "desire" to immediately expose a hoax. If you think about the recent past, there have been a few hoaxes on the internet. At least one where a woman shaved her daughters head and posted pictures of her on the net asking for donations saying that she had cancer. So its not unprecedented (Thanks for poisoning society with your witless greed people!)
Due to those who are willing to exploit and take advantage of the kindness of others people are slow to believe in stories like this. So I can't blame those people who believ it is a hoax. But I do think they should practice a bit more sympathy, tact and consideration before posting some of these comments. You never know if its true until you check the facts.

All you negative bastards should just kill yourselves. How did she know when she would pass? Ever think maybe you know. How many times have you meatsticks been dying. Grow up you losers and move out of your moms basement.

OMG !! i can"t believe you people !!! this is a sad story and the money is going to help other people if this was to happen to your kid you wouldn"t be writing negative comments , about this story i know i wouldn"t be keeping up with my house if this happen to my LIL GIRL

All the negative is BS. When my daughter was 8, she would leave notes around the house and I'm still finding them at 10. God bless the children of this world.

I think this story is awesome, not all kids are thinking about their parents happiness at this age. I seriously cant believe that someone would say such mean things about this story, when all it does to me is make me wanna cry. But then again there's always an unsensitive person in every situation.

Not so sure about this story. After their kid dies, the first they do is go through CD cases, look in bookshelves and dresser drawers? Too many people trying to make a name for themselves and a quick buck. Next thing you know is that they will be GMA or some other show. The jury's still out. Now as for balloon boy; I can't believe he really flew that far without getting hurt!!!!

I believe the parents, My nephew died of brain stem cancer, he only lived a few months after his diagnosis, his mom barely had time to wash dishes, or cook meals, due to his follow up doctor appointments and in/out hospital stay and eventually he was bedridden at home, so that was a full time job, the dishes would pile up, and so did the laundry, if wasnt for the family to help, and on his death bed he asked us to help his mom & dad, they were going to need help, he had such a big heart, I dont know how things would have gotten done and even after his death his mom couldnt touch his things, it took her awhile to finally go through his things, if you have not been through something like this you wouldnt understand

This is not something that is impossible to believe. Come on people! And maybe they were too busy taking care of a sick child and spending their last days with her to look between every cd case.

Instead of sitting here and discussing whether this story is real or not, why don't we say a prayer for the family who just lost their six-year-old daughter. It's really sad that people don't trust anyone anymore enough to go outside themselves and be compassionate. I guess that is because we are living in the "me" generation where as long as it is serving me, then I am okay with it. I am praying for comfort for the family and that they can find healing in the letters from their precious little girl.

i have no idea how can you see those notes and don`t feel anything,is just a little girl who at the time sow their parents and thought to leave those notes just to make them feel less lonely when she died, and probably she even hide the notes from their parents to sorprase them after evething. we need love people ...

You want to know what's wrong with today's society? Just read many of these comments. The skeptism reveals a true lack of humanity for this little girl and her grieving family. God Bless Them!

You people who posted comments regarding the cleaning or the lack thereof, obviously have never loss a closely related loved one to cancer, let alone a child. For all intent and purposes, the family of said loved one, practically lives in the hospital. Cancer is an unforgiving rollercoaster ride with many surprises, even for the caretaker. Who has the time or even desire to go through book/jewelcases, etc? Your only concern is & should be for that of your loved one who's life you want spared or comforted. And what about the pain of not hearing that voice or pitter/patter of their feet, which may be so great that you go to live elsewhere until....? Do you not have a heart or just raised by a pack of wolves? Better yet, even a wolf pack have compassion.

Seriously guys! You think it's fake? When you have a dying child, I doubt you would clean and dust in between CDs. For all you know, they could have been hidden really well. At in college now, and in August, my little sister hid notes and pictures around my dorm room. I'm just NOW starting to find them and it's November. Does it mean I don't clean? NO It means they were hidden really well, in places I wouldn't look for a while. My dorm room is a lot smaller then their house.

Wow. It is amazing to see so many people say these cruel things. My daughters best friend died of brain cancer as well and the doctors gave her a time frame of 3 months and she died shortly before that. For anyone to say these horrible things is just flat out wrong. I believe in what goes around comnes around and all of you people will get yours. If it was a BS story then they will get theirs as well. But seriously has the world come to such a bad place that people would use their dead children to get something. I guess I can say yes as it is a cruel world, but I like to think these parents are genuine

I cannot believe how this many people could be so HEARTLESS about something like this. For the lady that was a RN that you don't give a time frame on CANCER.....Well I hate to tell ya put DOCTOR'S DOOOOO and will always. For the PEOPLE who said that the parents were USING there DAUGHTER to SELL BOOKS.....MAYBE you can't read or something, but it said that they published the notes for a none profit and any donations went to a CHILDRENS CANCER RESEACH!!!! Myself being a mother and Lossing a Daughter right after birth and have to make Furneral and briurl arangement.....When you have something like this when it involes your babies and in and out of the hosiptal and doctor offices the last thing on your mind is cleaning. All I can say is the people who write such rude comments is that you don't have children and if you do I feel ,I mean really feel for your children to have HEARTLESS PARENTS.

My heart goes out to the parents of this beautiful little girl, and yes she is watching over you.:)

i lost my son to cancer in march. he was 15 he was diagnosed in nov and the dr told us to do his make a wish very soon he told keagan he did not think he would make it past 3 months so maybe the dr didnt give her days but months i believe the little girl left notes and i think that is wonderful. there are too many children dieing of cancer and if their book helps to take care of a cancer then more power to them this comeing from a mother that knows what it is like loseing a child and knowing of 5 other children that has died just 2 weeks ago of the same cancer he had. osteosarcoma

I cannont believe the skeptics that would even write comment about this. That isn't what this story is about. The little girl is gone and was thoughtful. Let's keep the reality close to us people.

I really disgust me that people can be so insensitive when it comes to somones pain and healing process.I am sure cleaning was the last thing on there mind.They probabley spent every waking second cherishing the time they had left with there precious daughter.Let them take the time to use these notes to heal and get through there daughters death.Cancer is a painful thing to deal with especially when it claims the life of somone so young.Parents cherish each second of each day with your children.Don't wait until all you have left of them is a note.Our children are a blessing from god and we should always treat them as the special gift they are.

well, i believe all that matters is a little girl died of cancer. and her parents love her, and she loved them. who cares about anything, why does it matter? maybe even if this story was a little exaggerated, the ultimate truth behind it is what we should really think about.

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/JustOneThing/story?id=6494966&page=1 here is a story from GMA for allof you doubters and remember that it is not your child it is someone elses. And thier hearts are broken..

The book is mostly a reprint of the blog they kept for friends and family to keep everyone up to date on her progress and as a tribute to Elena for their other daughter Grace. The book is very sad. Elena left the notes for her family to find after she passed away. They tried to fit birthdays, Halloween, Christmas, driving in the time she had left. I am sure cleaning was not high on their priorities.

Awwwww that little girl is so sweet to leave that suff behind i can't beleive that she would do that i feel bad for the faimly that lost a seet little girl god bless her and her faimly/loved ones JAY is wrong all of us have hearts plus we all have our own thought we did not mention anything mean about him we posted these comments that should be about the artical there not supposed to be about eachother P ok now this little girl adveousley had a lot of love so dont post things bad SERIOUSLY hm

Ok seriously?! how smart do you have to be genius? how could you even say this is fake? would you bother cleaning up for awhile if your six year old daughter just died? and its not like they found them all at once. she hid them. Gee you have some nerve even saying that. try telling the family that lost a poor little girl to cancer that all this is fake... than see what happens....

I can't believe what some people commented. This story is so sad, it actually made my eyes glassy as I was reading it. I can't believe people can be so cynical, it makes me sick. Yeah, it is hard for doctors to give an exact date, normally they just give an approximation but still. If you have not gone through something like that you don't know what it is like. I personally do not have any children, but a very close relative of mine passed away because of brain cancer and it was HELL. Even after a couple of years I can't really talk about him, so I can't even imagine what it would be like if it a child of mine, much less at such a young age. If you guys don't have anything humane to say then shut the F*** up. Cancer is such a horrible disease and I have lost many relatives to different types of it. And let me tell you after something like that cleaning the house is definately not a priority. I hope you guys never go through something similar because the emotional pain is unbearable.

well, i think it s sweet story of sweet little girl.u ppl dont believe this. I got a email from one of sister about a boy who got cancer and writing a letter from 'heaven' and saying he s ok. I thought that is sum b.s. but this story is real as it get, they just lost their daughter and all u got to say is "that is bugas" do u have heart????

Can't you just take this story for what's it worth and if it is fake, then shame on the parents.

I for one think it is a beautiful story, this child left pieces of her heart behind for her parents to find after she died. If that were my child it would mean the world to me.

Besides, I have hundreds of cd's, movies, etc...that I don't take out and dust one by one. Some haven't been moved in years. It is possible that the parents didn't find them. Not to mention that if my child were dying, I would spend every moment I could with them and the heck with the cleaning.

I pray for her family and the families of other children affected by cancer.

i wish she didn't die

this story reached out and touched me, untill u know what its like to lose a child u will never know how the parents felt and what they r still going throug.they say time heals all wounds but as i have found that is not true. and to those who talk about the cleaning of the house,like u clean ur cd case and draws that offen! my prayer r with the family, i understand that kind of loss.

Somebody mentioned the balloon boy story -- I'm sure that's where most of this cynicism is coming from.

I agree, a doctor probably would not say "135 days to live"; they just don't do that. But I don't see that the doctor said that; just that "someone" (maybe the writer of this story) did. It sounds like the tumor was aggressive, the prognosis discouraging, a very sick little girl. I can totally see her doing this note thing near the end, when she would have realized how sick she was no matter what they told her. Who knows where all the notes were hidden -- kids are pretty inventive, and housecleaning (especially the kind where you dust individual CDs?? who does that?) would have been a low priority.

At the end of the day a little girl is dead. If this story raises money for research, that's a good thing. Right?

The comments here disgust me. A little girl DIED of brain cancer, a family LOST their little girl.... and some of you comment on the validity of it all? Do you know the book they published, the proceeds go to Pediatric Brain Cancer Research????? Maybe they weren't told 135... SO WHAT?! They were told their daughter was going to die! Isn't that enough for you people????? Profiting off her death... this is why humanity makes me so sick. Their profit is to help some other family not face losing their child. I wish I never read some of these comments, you should be ashamed.

Well it's probably fake because she's 5 years old on a few other sites and 6 years old here.

http://www.parentdish.com/2008/12/29/five-year-old-cancer-patient-leav es-thousands-of-notes-for-her-f/

It really doesn't matter about the notes, i just feel sooo sad for the little girl ... I am hoping she made it to Heaven, but I don't know her heart, only God knows that. I am sad now , this must be really hard for the parents, i couldn't see myself coping with this type of devistation, my heart would hurt soo much everyday if i knew my little one was diagnosed with this disease ...

I don't know what's sadder: a six year-old girl dying from cancer or smug assholes SO sure of themselves to proclaim this story a sham with absolutely ZERO proof supporting their hypotheses. I can't say I wish much more to those people, other than... well, cancer, naturally.

When my 5 yr. old son was diagnosed with a brain tumor (glioblastoma multiformae) I found through research that the average life span after diagnosis was 6 months. He lived 6 months and a week. Those 6 months were so busy between getting to work, running home from work and getting to physical therapy, radiation treatments, chemotherapy; 4-5 days a week M-F. Yeah. Dusting CD's and bookshelves was NOT a priority. Guess some of you just can't put yourselves in someone else's shoes with some compassion, huh? GREAT gift, those notes. My son loved to draw us pictures. He was paralyzed on his right side and had to learn to write and draw with his left but never let it bother him. Try that with the average adult in the same situation. Those pics are our great gift from him.

What a precious little girl. So sorry for the families loss. Remember she will always be with you in your hearts and her notes.
To all you people critisizing, the family isnt making m