Coraellyna Rosalie Wilkinson

Coraellyna Rosalie Wilkinson was born on June 23, 2014 to Steven and Carla (Crisp) Wilkinson and two very excited older siblings. Her big sister, Aiyanna always wanted a sister and her big brother, Keagan was initially convinced that she was a brother instead of a sister, but he loved her just the same. Cora, as she was called, was your normal, happy, healthy baby. She was beautiful and oh so smart. She crawled at 7 months and walked at 10 months. She knew all of her body parts and could make many animal sounds but her imitation of a frog was everyone’s favorite. She met all of her milestones early. She was independent and knew what she wanted and what she didn’t want and had no problem letting you know!

She was Daddy’s Girl, especially when she was tired, dragging whatever blanket, stuffed animal and sippy cup was nearest to climb up onto his lap and go to sleep. She preferred Mommy when it was time to play, dragging her by the finger to whatever was most interesting at that moment. Big sister, Aiyanna read countless books to her and loved to pick out her outfits and get her dressed. Big brother, Keagan or “Bubby” as we called him, was Cora’s favorite though. Her eyes never left him as he moved through a room. She would climb into whatever chair he was in to sit almost on top of him to be included in whatever he was doing. Her hugs and kisses were the greatest. She was very loving and you could feel her love for you each time she wrapped her little arms around your neck and squeezed. Her kisses always came with a very emphatic “MUAH!” and if you did not reciprocate that sound with your own “MUAH!” the kisses would continue until you did.

On June, 30, 2015, one week after her first birthday and in the midst of her beautifully perfect life, Cora was diagnosed with Acute Monoblastic Myeloid Leukemia. She battled this monster through seven rounds of chemo, radiation, and two bone marrow transplants over the span of almost eleven months. With Daddy by her side non-stop, and Mommy as her bone marrow donor for transplant number two, she beat the monster, twice. Our Cora Girl was cancer free. Time however, was not on her side and her body was not able to recover from the effects of the radiation she received to prepare her for the second transplant. So, on May 9, 2016, with her lungs too damaged, her heart unable to keep up, and her little body simply too tired to go on, Mommy and Daddy made the selfless and loving decision to remove her from the machines and let her run to Jesus with her arms wide open.

From her birth and all through her battle, she made our family complete. Her 22 months here on Earth were so wonderful, chaotic, and fun with her added to our lives. She was so full of life and wonder, her older siblings are better, more patient children because of her. Mommy and Daddy learned from her what it is to be brave, strong, and determined. We will miss her forever, but know that she is whole in Heaven and we will see her again. Until then Baby Girl, “MUAH!”

Coraellyna is survived by her parents, Steven and Carla and two older siblings, Aiyanna and Keagan; paternal grandparents, Ralph Wilkinson and Lawrence S. and Judith Fraley; maternal grandmother, Barbara Crisp; paternal great-grandparents, Ronald and Mary Wilkinson and Martha Fraley; many aunts, uncles, and cousins; as well as her Nationwide Children’s family on H12 who spent countless hours caring for her and trying sometimes successfully to get her to wave and blow kisses; and her many, many prayer warriors who prayed ceaselessly for her. She is preceded in death by her oldest sibling via miscarriage; maternal grandfather, Carl Crisp; both sets of maternal great-grandparents, George and Carrie Crisp, Mose Cooper and Evelyn Murnahan; paternal great-grandparents, Linda McWilliams, Francis and Alice Hupp, and Lawrence Fraley; paternal matriarch, great-great grandmother, Susan Duffey; several aunts, uncles, and extended family members. She received a most wonderful reception in Heaven as they gathered in anticipation of her arrival.

“To you, O Lord, we humbly entrust this child, so precious in Your sight. Take her into Your arms, and welcome her into paradise, where there will be no sorrow, nor weeping, nor pain. Just the fullness of peace and joy with Your Son and the Holy Spirit. Forever and ever. Amen.”

The family will receive friends from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. Thursday, May 19, 2016, at the Diamond Street Home of Wappner Funeral Directors, 98 S. Diamond St., Mansfield. The funeral service will be held Friday at 1:00 p.m. in the funeral home with additional visitation beginning at 12:00 p.m. Pastor Rick Wiseman of Promised Land Fellowship will conduct the service. Burial will follow in Mansfield Cemetery.

Memorial contributions can be made in her name to Nationwide Children’s Hospital for Cancer Research or to the Columbus Ronald McDonald House Charities as they continue to provide services to families like ours.