I’m 23 & adopted my sister, 11, after mum died & dad was given days to live – learning to be a parent overnight is tough
A 23-YEAR-OLD woman who adopted her little sister six months after their mum tragically passed away did so because her dad has just days to live.
Ezri Hart took on 11-year-old Braidyn Neefe, who is soon to be orphaned, when dad Michael, 49, was diagnosed with terminal cancer.
Docs estimate he only has three more weeks to live, thrusting Ezri into parenthood much sooner than she anticipated.
“I was living a pretty typical life of a 23-year-old which I was kind of enjoying,” she says.
“Now I can’t do anything without also planning to take care of Braidyn.
“We thought he would have a year or two at least to live rather than a couple of weeks.”
Ezri said she was “grieving for a life she had planned for herself” after finding out Michael was diagnosed with a glioblastoma, a fast-growing and aggressive brain tumour, in late 2022.
Braidyn was formally adopted by her older sister in May and lives with Ezri and her husband David, 24, in Washington, US.
Their mum, Erika Neefe, had one stroke in December 2022 and then a fatal one in February this year, which led to a serious brain bleed.
She was just 45-years-old when she died.
Braidyn moved in with Ezri shortly after and they started adoption proceedings when Michael was given his terminal diagnosis in June.
At present, doctor’s predict he will die in less than three weeks from now.
Michael’s condition seriously deteriorated after he had an insurance issue during a house move and temporarily lost access to cancer treatment back in May.
“Braidyn was born when I was 12-years-old,” Ezri says.
“Somehow I knew she was going to live with me at some point.”
She has struggled with the transition due to her little sister so-far living a “very sheltered” life.
“She never really left her house and was home-schooled,” Ezri explained.
“My mum had never taught her how to write.
“She’s getting scheduled with occupational therapy and has had issues with her muscles and feet not being developed properly from lack of exposure, as well as speech therapy.”
Ezri started a GoFundMe to raise funds for Braidyn to be able to spend some precious time with Michael while he is still here.
They are trying to tick-off as many things as possible on his bucket list, including dinner at a number of Irish restaurants.
The fund has allowed them to scatter their mum’s ashes by the ocean, with the local fire department even helping drive the family down onto the otherwise inaccessible beach.
Ezri added that Braidyn has been a real inspiration to her.
“She’s doing amazing,” she said.
“She doesn’t realise the tragedy she’s been through, but is doing so well considering.”