Hailey McMullen's obituary was published Wednesday and reading it made me cry.

Hailey is the 10-year old girl who died Saturday after being thrown from a carnival ride at the Deerfield Township Harvest Festival. I didn't know Hailey and I don't know her family, but her news of her death really touched me.

My own daughters are only a little older than Hailey and if they had known about it, they would have insisted of being at last weekend's festival, too. They also love amusement rides, so it's not hard for me to imagine this awful tragedy happening to one of them.

What I didn't know is that Hailey was the daughter of Christopher and Amanda McMullen and sister to an older brother and younger sister. Christopher is a sergeant with the Salem Police Department and Amanda is a nurse.

The Salem Police Officer’s Association has created an account in which donations can be made to assist the family with Hailey’s funeral expenses. You will find a post attached below with information on how to help with their effort.

I would also like to share a part of Hailey's obituary, because it is beautifully written in a way that only a parent could write it. Again, I find myself thinking about her parents' absolute grief. My most sincere condolences to them. I wish I had known Hailey.

Here is their description of their daughter, Hailey, taken from her obituary...

 A fifth grade student at Deerfield Township Elementary School, Hailey is and was the most beautiful little girl inside and out. She was kind to everyone. She went by many nicknames including chicken baby, chick, and mimi. She never left the room or the house without hugging someone and telling them she loved them. She enjoyed nature, animals and water. She viewed the world as an adventure. She was creative always making videos and art. Her imagination was huge as well as her intelligence. She was sassy and did not accept statements like because i told you so. She wanted to know why and wanted to do the right thing even if it was not the popular thing.

She was a wonderful sibling to her big brother and little sister. She was a wonderful daughter that would wake up very early in the morning when mom and dad were getting ready for work, just to see us and spend time with us ( we called it coffee with chick) she wanted to be a Veterinarian and a famous YouTuber.

She would spend hours playing games with her brother and sister. Often they were games made up for themselves. Hailey would giggle and laugh, and it was such an intoxicating laugh that contained pure joy, spirit, and a love of life.

Hailey loved Jesus and seemed from a young age to grasp biblical concepts. She accepted Jesus time and time again and would verbally declared her love for him. She kept her bible next to her bed. She walked and carried herself in way that excubarted love. She was a ball of fire and liked to prove her point but always ended argument with her parents with I love you daddy or I love you mommy. She looked up to her big brother Evan and adored her baby sister Allison they were a team and cared for each other.

Hailey at the young age of ten was the type of person that everyone should strive to be, she was wise beyond her years. We miss her dearly and our only comfort is she walks with our lord and savior Jesus Christ.

 

 

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