On Monday, Oct. 27, Kendra Bird posted a family photo on Instagram, updating her followers that her 9-year-old daughter with stage 4 cancer has “been sleeping for most of the week, she’s retaining water in her face, feet and belly, she doesn’t eat anymore, and is on oxygen pretty regularly.”
“As much as I want the miracle so badly, l feel like the ‘realistic’ part of my mind is grasping for my heart, trying to pull it back into my chest, and tell my soul that I need to surrender,” continued Kendra on social media. “I’m hurting. Every day feels heavy.”
Brie was first diagnosed with stage 4 cancer five years ago and was placed in hospice earlier this year. Her mom has shared her cancer journey on Instagram under the handle “briestrongerthancancer,” which has nearly 1 million followers.
In her health update, Kendra recounted a recent conversation she had had with her daughter.
“As I sat by Brielle’s bedside one morning, she turned over and said, ‘Someone is talking to me from heaven, an older person, I don’t know if it was a grandma or grandpa; they said my name,’ ” wrote Kendra. “I of course, put on my brave face, and asked her what else the angels are saying to her. She couldn’t keep her eyes open for long, but reassured me that she would let me know what else they say.”
Earlier in October, the Bird family celebrated Christmas several months early after Kendra shared that her daughter’s health had “taken a turn.”
“We decided to get a blood transfusion so that she can hopefully have some more good days,” wrote Kendra on Instagram at the time. “This transfusion has already brought down her heart rate, lessened her fever, her oxygen has improved, and we’ve had great conversations!”
Brie’s story also caught the attention of pop singer Ariana Grande in August, who mailed her a care package full of Wicked goodies in honor of Brie’s love for the movie-musical. The box was full of plush characters from The Wizard of Oz, as well as OPI nail polish inspired by Wicked, two bold pink zip-up bags, a tote, some makeup from Grande’s beauty brand R.E.M. and a bottle of Grande’s Cloud Perfume.
“Thank you so, so, so, so much, Ariana Grande,” Brie said in a video thanking Grande. “I love everything in the package that you got, especially the Squishmallows and everything else. And I love that perfume, by the way.”
Brie was first diagnosed with stage 4 cancer five years ago and was placed in hospice earlier this year. Her mom has shared her cancer journey on Instagram under the handle “briestrongerthancancer,” which has nearly 1 million followers.
Brielle Bird/Instagram
“Thank you so, so, so, so much, Ariana Grande,” Brie said in a video thanking Grande. “I love everything in the package that you got, especially the Squishmallows and everything else. And I love that perfume, by the way.”
