Woman Takes In Best Friend’s Six Children After She Dies Of Breast Cancer

Mother-of-six Beth Laitkep and mother-of-three Stephanie Culley had been friends since they were just girls in high school, but earlier this year they became something more: family.

In 2014 when Beth was diagnosed with breast cancer she was already pregnant with her sixth child Ace. He was delivered at 30 weeks by emergency c-section so Beth could undergo chemo, but unfortunately her partner didn’t hang around to help. With six children to support as she went through chemotherapy and cancer treatment, Beth was so happy to have her friend Stephanie to rely on. This was even more true when Beth’s health took a turn for the worst.

In 2015 Beth received the news that the cancer, which had been in remission, had returned and spread to her brain and spine. It was devastating.

“The doctors told me that there was nothing that could be done.” Culley told The Washington Post. “That’s when we started talking about the kids.”

source: dailymail.co.uk

Culley said that it was Laitkep’s final wish that her children be cared for as she would have cared for them, and not be split up. She shared these wishes with Culley, and they had all the kids come in to figure out what would happen next. The children, aged between 2 and 15, had no dads in the picture, and were faced with the reality that they would soon be without their mum as well.

Culley and her husband Donnie said they spoke honestly to Laitkep’s kids: “We said ‘If you do not get a miracle for mommy, who do you want?’ They all pointed to me. That melted my heart.”

The couple decided then and there that they would “take all of them and keep them all together as our family”, just as Laitkep wanted.

Beth Laitkep died on the 19th of May aged just 39 years old. At her funeral, her children wore pink to honour her, and the Culley family stepped forward. They took all six of Laitkep’s children into their home, as they promised to, and currently have temporary custody. They hope to appear in court sometime this month to obtain permanent custody.

source: dailymail.co.uk

Stephanie Culley told the papers that the death of Laitkep was “heartbreaking” and “the most difficult thing I have ever watched”. At the same time she says she couldn’t have imagined taking any other course of action than to take in Laitkep’s children:

“They are exceptional kids. You can’t help fall in love with them,” Stephanie said. “That day was the first day of our new life. I feel like our life is complete now. Those six kids were the six links we were missing from our lives.”

Stephanie and Donnie are currently raising money through a GoFundMe page to help the Culley’s adapt to having six new charges in their lives. The fund currently stands at just over $30,000.