A young girl whose surrogate mother refused $10,000 from her biological parents to have her aborted has passed away at the age of 8. Two weeks after celebrating her birthday, Seraphina Nayleigh Harrell passed away at Boston Children’s Hospital. Her adoptive mother, Rena Harrel, wrote on Facebook: “Still can’t believe I have to talk about my baby in the past tense!
Still trying to figure out how daily life is supposed to work without her in it.”Seraphina’s adoptive father, Thomas Harrell, also said: “For the eight years she lived, she had a full life. “She had a lot of joy in her life and gave a lot of other people joy in ways that sometimes weren’t expected.” It was in 2011 when a couple hired Crystal Kelley to be the surrogate mother after they had difficulty conceiving children.
But when Kelley underwent a routine ultrasound in 2012, it was discovered that the baby suffered from severe heart defects, a cyst in her brain, and a cleft lip, and palate. She also had at least two spleens and many of her internal organs were in the wrong place. Doctors said that Seraphina would need to undergo several heart surgeries and would only have a 25% chance to have a normal life.
The biological family of the girl wanted Kelley to abort her, but the surrogate mother chose to keep the baby alive. “Once I realized I’d be the only one fighting for her, that Mama bear instinct kicked in, and there was no way I was giving up without a fight,” Kelley explained at the time. Seraphina Harrell was born on June 25, weighing 6 pounds and 9 ounces, and was adopted by the Harrell family.
“COVID-19 has disrupted a lot over the past few months, and it wouldn’t be very honoring of Seraphina’s memory to put people at risk of contracting it,” Rene Harrel wrote on Facebook. “Because the Commonwealth regards this as a large ‘unenclosed outdoor area’ with enough space to practice social distancing, there are no regulations limiting attendance or requiring mask usage, but we are requesting that everyone planning to come wear a mask and will provide them for anyone who does not have one.”
Those who knew the young girl said her life was defined by love rather than her medical conditions. “There is simply no avoiding acknowledging the heartache of those who loved her the most, who truly wasn’t ready to see her go,” the obituary read. “But the truth is that Seraphina’s story is defined by love, not sadness.”
Seraphina’s outsized personality only grew over time, and you never had to guess what she was thinking or feeling. “At least once a day, someone would cuddle up to her and repeat the Seraphina family motto: ‘For a girl who can’t talk, you’re never quiet!” What are your thoughts on the matter? Tell us in the comments, and SHARE this story with your friends and family!