Mackenzie Mae Naber

Mackenzie's story is graciously shared by her loving parents,
Josh Naber and Chandra Holm and her sweet grandmother,Laura.

Mackenzie Mae & Hailea Angel Naber were born on October 7, 2000.
They were identical twins and were born at 24 weeks, due to their mother
having toxemia . Hailea weighed 11 1/2 oz. and sadly lived for only about 1 1/2 hours.
However, Mackenzie weighed just under a pound and suprised us all.
with each passing day she gained weight, her inner strength brought light
to all of us following her progress daily. She spent 117
days in Blank Hospital in Des Moines, IA. She was truely a miricale
baby. She grew by leaps and bounds after coming home. Before her death,
at 22 months old, she was the happiest little toddler you could imagine. She always had
a smile on her face. She had golden blonde hair which I believe
was part of her halo. She hardly ever cried. She was wearing size 2
and weighed almost 27 pounds. She caught up quickly for how small she was
in the beginning of her such short life.

On August 1, 2002, I awaited her to do her normal routine.
She would wake up, crawl out of her bed, grab her blanket,
open the door (which always hit the wall, and I knew she was coming to get me),
and we cuddled awhile before breakfast. However on that morning, the door
never opened. I went in to get her, it was always dark in there,
I couldn't see her in the bed, I looked on her mothers bed for her,
and all this time, I didn't hear her. Nothing, complete silence...
I began to panic, then I found her hanging from the cord of the venition
blind cord. I began to scream, I cut the cord, I laid her down,
began CPR and called 911..... Mackenzie died at the age of 22 months.
In her death, Mackenzie gave the gift of life.
Mackenzie's Heart Valves were donated to the Iowa Doner Network
in hopes of saving another precious little life.