CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. —Two-year-old Skylarpassed away at 2:35 p.m. April 2, after a battle that began on March 18 when she fell ill with a 104-degree fever. Her parents, J.J. and Lindsay Waldrop, from Goochland, announced the news via the Prayers for Skylar Facebook page that provided updates and encouraged others to pray for Skylar.
“I have said many times through this ordeal to hold and love your children as much and as often as you can,” the announcement began.
“To all of those that have been praying and sending notes, emails, gifts and words of encouragement to our family through this we thank you,” they wrote. “It means more to us than we can express. It is absolutely astounding to us the life’s that have been touched by our sweet little girl in the short time she was with us and in the two weeks of her illness.” Skylar was being treated at the University of Virginia Hospital. J.J. Waldrop said Skylar’s first diagnosis came back as a stomach bug.
They gave her medication and waited for her fever to break. It did.
But on Friday, March 20, she got sick again. When the Waldrops took her to the emergency room at St. Mary’s, doctors did not like what they saw and kept her at the hospital for observation.
An ultrasound and echo revealed masses on little Skylar’s heart. Doctors at St. Mary’s advised the Waldrops that Skylar should be flown to UVA for specialized treatment. Skylar’s heart stopped beating twice on the way to her hospital room at UVA. Both times, doctors were able to revive her, J.J. Waldrop said.
J.J. Waldrop said doctors have pinpointed Skylar’s troubles to a nasty staph infection.
“The hardest part for us is yet to come so please continue to pray for our family as we try and find our way through this with a little less light in our life,” the Waldrops wrote. “As arrangements are made, dates and times will go out.”
“Hug your kids and grandkids a little tighter tonight for us.” A candlelight vigil will be held on at Buckroe Beach in Hampton, at 6 p.m, Friday, April 3.
“If you are unable to make it please light a candle at 6:45 on Friday and post a picture on her Facebook page to show Lindsay and JJ and the rest of their family they are all still in our prayers and thoughts,” was written on the Facebook page.
The family had established a GoFundMe page to help with medical costs.
