Annie Walton Doyle
A six-year-old girl asked her mother an eerie question just days before her passing.
Lucy Morgan, of Stockholm, New Jersey, tragically died in a badminton accident.
News of the little girl’s untimely passing has left people heartbroken, with one person penning: “That is so tragic and I hope the family can recover from this terrible accident.”
A second says: “What a horrific thing to happen. Praying for this family.”
“God bless them all,” writes another.
The incident occurred on June 1 while Lucy was on a family vacation in Maine.
Her father, Jesse Morgan, recounted on his blog, New Creation Living, that he, his wife Bethany, and their children Silas, Shiloh, Lucy, and Atticus, were enjoying a ‘beautiful’ morning at their lake cottage on the last day of their holiday when tragedy struck.
“We were eating a quick lunch by the lake and the kids decided to try badminton in the front yard,” he wrote. “Bethany and I were relaxing in the back when we heard screaming.”
According to a news release from Maine State Police, via People, Lucy’s father described the incident as a ‘freak accident.’
Police report that the ‘unintentional’ and ultimately fatal injury took place when she was playing outside with her siblings, including her 10-year-old brother.
Lucy had been accidentally struck in the head by a broken piece of her brother’s badminton racket, which led to a fatal injury.
Authorities reported that the aluminum shaft of the badminton racket had dislodged from its wooden handle, striking the little girl in the head and piercing her skull.
First responders arrived in Limerick, Maine, and transported Lucy to a medical center in Sanford and another in Portland.
According to Jesse, the six-year-old was immediately taken to surgery, where part of her skull was removed to relieve pressure from the injury.
On June 2, he wrote: “She coded, they got her back, and they completed the surgery.
“In the PICU, we are being told that there is a very slim chance she will recover. She is currently intubated, has no brain function, but occasionally breathes on her own. We are praying for a miracle but our hearts hurt with incomprehensible pain.”
At the time, Jesse asked for prayers for Lucy’s recovery, adding: “We are hanging on but can’t imagine life without Lucy-goose.”
Jesse shared that Lucy was expected to pass away within 24 hours in a June 4 update.
He noted: “If there is any good news in this, it’s that she hasn’t felt any pain over the past few days.”
Lucy’s father also shared updates on the rest of the family’s well-being: “My poor wife is barely eating (we got some Chick-fil-A in her).
“We’re sleeping as best we can and our children are processing as best they can.”
According to both the police and her father, Lucy succumbed to her injuries the following day.
The child tragically passed away surrounded by her family, who gathered at her bedside to sing her favorite hymn.
Jesse shared that he, his wife Bethany, and their three other children were so overcome by grief that they could not initially enter their home.
Jesse wrote on his blog: “When we got home, we arrived to flowers lining our steps and a fridge stocked with food. But entering was the hardest thing.
“We just sat on the front steps for a while crying until I finally mustered up the courage to open the door. We again collapsed in a pile on the kitchen floor crying harder as a family than we ever have.”
Jesse further described his wife’s anguish on the day Lucy passed.
“On June 4, the morning of the day Lucy was predicted to pass, it was very hard to distinguish the groans and cries I heard from Bethany at 3 a.m. that morning from the ones I heard on the morning of September 4, 2017, when Bethany birthed Lucy,” he continued.
“The pain of a mother in this situation is so incredibly unique, heavy, and frankly awe-inspiring to witness.”
The deeply religious family has found solace in their faith.
Jesse said: “Despite my conviction that she is still young and possibly can’t understand and that she had the faith of a mustard seed, Bethany still couldn’t shake the fear and doubt.
“It was then when we opened her backpack and found her prayer journal that Bethany had given her a month ago to the day of her passing.”
Lucy’s journey contained affirmations of her faith, pictures, and a final drawing that her sister Shiloh believes depicts Mary and Martha weeping over the body of Lazarus.
In the Bible story, Lazarus of Bethany is resurrected by Jesus four days after his death.
“This last picture takes the cake. The significance of it being the very last thing she drew in the journal cannot be understated,” Jesse said. “It’s hard to put into words how deeply I feel about it.”
Lucy’s father also revealed that his little girl had asked a question just days before her death – she had asked how to be ‘saved.’
Jesse explains: “The last, probably most important gold nugget of grace found deep in the well of sorrow.
“I had not been present when Lucy had asked how to ‘be saved’ 2 to 4 weeks ago. Bethany had explained the gospel to her again, but now was doubting and torturing herself since Lucy had confessed it privately in her room.”
Green Pond Bible Chapel, where Jesse serves as a worship and discipleship pastor, will hold a funeral service for Lucy on June 15, which was live-streamed on the church’s website.
A GoFundMe page set up for the family has raised over $150,000.
It reads: “Tragedies like this take a toll on all aspects of life – emotional, physical, mental, and financial. This page serves as a place to provide them extravagant financial support – to help pay for meals while they are away from home, lodging for family, medical costs… whatever they need.”
An update from July 2nd reads: “Thank you all for the incredible love and support you have poured out on the Morgan family – financially here, in person, online. They are not out of the woods and still need our prayers and need us to show up for them.
It continues: “Grief is a long game. May we keep them close at heart. May we reach out with love and support. May we say Lucy’s name and remember her spirit. Blessings to all.”
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