Just two weeks after celebrating her victory over cancer, 13-year-old Jerilynn Brown tragically died in a house fire on July 4th.<\/p>\n
Jerilynn had battled osteosarcoma, a rare bone cancer, for two years. She was discharged from Children\u2019s Mercy Hospital in late June after completing treatment \u2014 a moment marked by ringing the hospital\u2019s victory bell.<\/p>\n
The fire broke out around 5:30 a.m. at the family\u2019s farmhouse in rural Independence, Missouri. Fire officials say smoldering fireworks debris from July 3rd, fanned by overnight winds, sparked the blaze. Tragically, there were no working smoke detectors in the home.<\/p>\n
Jerilynn and another adult died in the fire. Her mother, Liz Stephens, remains hospitalized in critical condition.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe just got me to go to church,\u201d said her father, Jerry Brown. \u201cI quit drinking \u2014 17 months now. All that is because of her.\u201d<\/p>\n
The family has launched a GoFundMe to help with funeral and medical costs, remembering Jerilynn as a brave and inspiring soul whose strength touched everyone she met.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Just two weeks after celebrating her victory over cancer, 13-year-old Jerilynn Brown tragically died in a house fire on July 4th. Jerilynn had battled osteosarcoma, a rare bone cancer, for two years. She was discharged from Children\u2019s Mercy Hospital in late June after completing treatment \u2014 a moment marked by ringing the hospital\u2019s victory bell….<\/p>\n