An Update On Mandie and A Heartfelt Thank You
Update: I am heartbroken to announce that at 10AM on Monday, January 19, 2026 Mandie changed her address to heaven and is now with Jesus in a body that is healthy, whole, and works completely.
While we rejoice that she, as a follower of Christ, has experience the ultimate healing of being with the Lord forever, those of us who loved her and learned from her are heartbroken that she is gone.
Thank you to those in this community who helped me make her dream come true–she was able to purchase a new laptop and some software that would help her to take her love of music and get set up to become someone who did musical orchestration for film and TV. You can read her appreciation in her own words below this update.
Unfortunately, the day I announced the auction of her adorable crocheted critters to raise this money, Mandie was admitted to the hospital and never recovered. I do take joy in the fact, however, that she was so excited about the auction and how all of her 12 little zoo creatures found forever homes. She couldn’t believe all the people who left comments or started following the Facebook page about her health journey. She told me that she “felt famous and so very loved.” This touched my heart so much and I want to thank each one of you who gave money or who left a kind comment or a “like.”
I will miss our middle of the night texts encouraging each other through our injuries and illnesses. Mandie never wanted to talk about herself. She only wanted to talk about others or about what she was learning in her faith.
I once heard it said that when given the choice to spend time with a successful Christian or a suffering one, you should choose the suffering one every time. Mandie taught me that that is true. I am a better person because I knew her.
Perhaps what I will remember most about her is that when I looked at Mandie, I sort of saw Mandie. But mostly, I saw Jesus.
Our last FaceTime was the day after Christmas. I will never forget Mandie’s words that day. When we once again voiced our astonishment on her positive attitude, instead of making her usual corny joke about how it was due to taking “Vitamin B-Positive” she grew very serious. She motioned with her hand from the top of her head down to her feet–to a body that hadn’t worked in years–and said, “It’s not me. It’s Jesus. Look at me! I shouldn’t be joyful, but I am. It’s Jesus in me. I am just dust.”
In a culture where it’s easy to be a casual Christian, thinking God owes us a comfortable life, and where we feel persecution is when someone doesn’t like us, or suffering is when we get the flu and have to be in bed for three days, Mandie’s attitude displayed a very important truth:
God is God. We are not. Every breath we have is a gift from Him. Each day, a treasure not to be wasted.
Friends, I owe you an update on Mandie, the young woman—like a daughter to me—who is struggling with a debilitating disease resulting from a tick bite that has her bed bound for the past three years, unable to function from her chest down.
In December, we held an auction of her adorable crocheted critters and also took donations in. I knew that my community of readers was generous, but I have been absolutely amazed at the way you gave so generously to someone who you (probably) don’t event know. I am so grateful to you!
I’ve been waiting to share the results because I also wanted to give a medical update. Mandie was hospitalized a few days before Thanksgiving and remains there in a pretty serious state. If you are the praying sort, would you please pray that they get to the bottom of her most recent medical challenges with her liver?
At one point, we thought she was to get a liver transplant, if one could be found. The situation changes daily, but pray for wisdom for her medical team and spiritual and physical stamina for Mandie. She is by far the most positive and amazing person who instead of complaining, constantly points others to Jesus. I hope I can be just like her one day when I grow up.
Now, here are the results of our attempts to help Mandie in her own words:
Meet Molly Mackey, 💻 my brand new 2025 MacBook!! With the total raised from the auction being $514.51 and the donations at $1,629.66, you guys not only bought her, but two invaluable instrumentation libraries!!!! 🎉
I was also able to purchase a music computer program called a DAW, an orchestration reference book, headphones, and six higher learning classes on film scoring and orchestration. 🎶🎵Basically you’ve paved the way and funded the decade long dream of this girl becoming an Orchestrator and Arranger for Film and TV, and I am ever so grateful! Thank you!!”💖
If you would like to continue to follow Mandie’s story, you can find her Facebook group called “Mandie’s Babesia Chronicles”. (When prompted, mentioned that you found her though Karen Ehman.)
