The youngest member of the Beach family has died. Mercy Beach would have been two years old this week.
You’ll recall the Beaches from our blog about Michelle Smith, 2008 LHHS graduate, who met Faith Beach, Mercy’s sister, when Michelle was Faith’s camp counselor at Pine Cove last summer. Faith is one of 9 adopted children – most with special needs – taken in by Melissa and Michael Beach and their 4 biological kids. When Michelle learned that a hurricane destroyed the family’s home and belongings, she mobilized resources to help them. She also lobbied ABC’s “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” to choose the Beaches for their show.
Michelle and mom, Patti, participated with other volunteers in the construction of the family’s new home, and they depart today for Kemah, near Galveston, for Mercy’s funeral. The toddler, born with multiple serious medical issues, was getting ready for church Sunday when she appeared to have a seizure. The autopsy revealed that it was actually a stroke and that she died quickly.
“Please be in prayer for the Beaches,” Patti said. “They are grieving the loss of their little angel whom they loved so fully.”
The Beaches’ story, filmed before the death of Mercy, will be featured as the season finale “Extreme Makeover” on Easter Sunday, April 4. Thousands of volunteers participated to build the family’s new 6,340-square-foot, two story home, which will be revealed in the show.
