Mum reveals why she shared photo of dying daughter's final moments
A grieving mother who shared an image of her dying daughter in the arms of her partner has explained why she posted the photo online.
Casey and Ben Daggett shared the image of their five-year-old, Zoey, cradled by her father as she listened to stories and music during her final hours at their home near New York, in the US.
Zoey was diagnosed with a rare brain tumour almost two years ago and had been visiting hospital fortnightly ever since.
Ms Daggett has spoken out since the personal photo went viral last week to explain why she shared the gut-wrenching image.
“I shared it because even though it’s a painful moment, it’s a beautiful moment in our eyes,” the mother told MailOnline.
“It was a kind of peaceful moment for Ben and me. This is our reality and we wanted to show people every side of it.”
Zoey had a diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) tumor, a rare brain cancer which mostly impacts children aged four to 10.
The couple had been documenting their daughter’s condition online via a Facebook page, with friends and the community touched by her story. The photo of her last moments, taken by a nurse, was shared along with the caption:
“Zoey is going to be shared with the world. Her love and light have been abundant and we will continue to pay it forward and share love and light with the world”.
In the wake of her death, her family has remembered their fond memories of the little girl.
“Zoey was full of life, spunk and happiness and we know that she was loved by so many. We ask for your thoughts during this time of sadness,” her mother wrote online.
A GoFundMe page has been set up by a family friend to support the grieving parents.
