A family is awaiting word on what caused a 7-year-old girl to pass away one minute after her routine tonsillectomy began last week.
Paisley Cogsdill entered into her surgery at Self Regional Hospital on Feb. 21 without any fear her grandma, Mary Beth Truelock, told Georgia news station WALB. Her surgery at the Greenwood, South Carolina, hospital began like normal, but one minute into the surgery, her heart stopped. The doctors pronounced her dead moments later.
“Going into surgery, she had no fear. She was smiling and happy. Nothing was wrong. She had no fear,” Truelock told the station.
The family told authorities Paisley had no health issues they were aware of prior to the tonsil surgery. Now they await an autopsy next week to gain some clarity about how she died. The family is in shock after losing the spunky girl, who loved her community and her church, her uncle Cameron Truelock told reporters.
“She was just spunky, energetic. She would always keep us on our toes,” Cameron Truelock said. “She loved going to church, being active in church, and she loved being close to everybody. She was the community’s kid. She loved everybody in the community.”
Dance Studio, a Clinton, South Carolina, dance studio where Paisley danced, shared a tribute on Facebook in honor of the 7-year-old after the news of her death broke.
“Today, one of our own families suffered the unimaginable today! Paisley Cogsdill went to be with her Heavenly Father this morning!! Her family is devastated and desperately needs all of our prayers,” reads the Facebook post.
The unexpected loss has taken a toll on Paisley’s parents, and family and friends have helped out by establishing a GoFundMe to help with the expenses of her funeral. As of Wednesday afternoon, more than $38,000 had been raised on the site to help Paisley’s parents, who are out of work, as they grieve. The fundraiser organizers hope to raise $40,000 for the family to help with memorial service expenses.
A service for Paisley is scheduled Thursday in Clinton, South Carolina. Burial is scheduled afterward.
Mary Beth Truelock said this a “horrible time” for the family, but they’ve attempted to find some level of peace.
“Definitely missing her all the time. You don’t understand why these things happen, but we know it was God’s plan. That’s the only thing that is going to get us through because we know it was God,” Mary Beth Truelock said.
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