Delaney Krings appeared to be a healthy child, but one day she started experiencing ear pain. Her parents took her to the hospital where the doctor diagnosed her with an infection and prescribed medication. Despite some initial improvement, Delaney began to exhibit other symptoms, including loss of balance, which concerned her parents. She was then taken to the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin where she underwent a series of tests by specialists to determine the underlying cause of her symptoms.
Specialists at the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin conducted multiple tests to identify the root cause of Delaney’s symptoms when she was brought to the hospital at the age of 4.
In October 2022, Delaney’s family received the devastating news that she had an aggressive form of brain cancer and only six to eight weeks to live. Her parents were understandably shocked and heartbroken, especially since Delaney was only four years old. Despite this difficult situation, they wanted to make her last birthday special and asked their loved ones to send her birthday wishes. Little did they know that this simple request would touch people all over the world.
Heather told CaringBridge that Delaney’s type of cancer, DMG, has a very low likelihood of responding positively to any existing treatment. In addition, the size and severity of the tumor, which was discovered just 12 weeks ago, greatly reduced her chances of recovery. Heather spent months poring over the medical literature and found little reason to be optimistic about Delaney’s prognosis.
Delaney had a unique 5th birthday celebration on December 16th thanks to the overwhelming response from people all over the world who sent her over 15,000 birthday wishes and numerous videos of heartfelt wishes. Her parents put up a map marking the locations of all the people who sent cards to show Delaney the extended love she received from people she had never met before. The response was so overwhelming that Heather mentioned that they received around 400 cards in the mail in just one day in December.
Delaney’s parents were focused on making the most of their time with her and keeping her comfortable despite the limited time they had left with her. As long as Delaney is aware of what’s going on and can enjoy the company of her loved ones, her parents are determined to create as many happy memories as possible. Wisconsin Truck Takeover Enthusiasts even organized a special birthday parade with up to 500 trucks and other participants to make her celebration even more memorable.
Delaney’s father, Jack Krings said “I’m just happy she gets to enjoy her birthday. There’s no way to thank everybody, but, from the bottom of our hearts we appreciate everything,” He expressed gratitude for the outpouring of love and support their family received during Delaney’s birthday celebration. However, the family’s happiness was short-lived as Delaney lost her battle with cancer on January 28, 2023. Her mother, Heather, shared the heartbreaking news on CaringBridge and posted a photo of Delaney with the caption “Our Sweet Angel Baby has gained her wings. Fly high, my sweet baby.” The loss of Delaney left her parents shattered and their world shattered into pieces.
A GoFundMe page created for Delaney describes her as a beautiful flower whose beauty we were only able to appreciate for a brief moment. Despite her young age, she touched the hearts of many people, both those she knew and those she had never met. The page encourages everyone to honor Delaney’s memory by making her proud and filling their broken hearts with love. Although her death is heartbreaking, the page encourages readers to take comfort in the belief that Delaney is now in a better place to enjoy the love of life in heaven.
Mother Delaney hopes her daughter’s story will inspire people to perform simple acts of kindness and spread more love into the world. She believes that love in its purest form was the purpose of Delaney’s life. May Delaney’s soul rest in peace.