A teen says this will be her last summer: she has decided to end her life after living with a terminal illness.
Jerika Bolen spoke with WBAY-TV about her lifelong battle with spinal muscular atrophy type 2, or SMA II. The disease causes constant pain and prevents her from using most of her muscles.
She can only move her hands and parts of her face.
At 14, she says she cannot continue with her life anymore.
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The teen says that she wants to celebrate the end of her life with a "last dance" prom because she loves music.
"I don't have many friends. I'm not, like, because I couldn't get out really and do many things because I was in so much pain, and this prom is, we'll, we call it my last dance," Jerika told WBAY-TV.
"I knew it was coming," her mother, Jen Bolen, said, "but I also realized that she fought much longer than she would have if it weren't for her trying to protect me."
On Jerika's Facebook page, she says she's been inundated with friend requests.
"I feel famous, I've gotten so many friend requests," she wrote.
WBAY-TV reports Jerika's prom will be held at Appleton's Grand Meridian on Friday and it will be open to the public.
Jerika will stop using the ventilator she uses right now to breathe when she begins hospice care in August.
If you would like to send a card or letter or reach out to Jerika, the family has set up this P.O. box:
Jerika Bolen
P.O. Box 2577
Appleton, WI 54911
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