My daughter Millicent has passed after a year-long battle with brain cancer (DIPG). I’m heartbroken and I miss her so much.
I can’t fully define who Millie was because she embodied everything, sassy yet caring and empathetic, opinionated yet never critical, effortlessly stylish with a love of bugs, animals, and sports.
Millie was outgoing and bold, always entering the room a touch louder and more energetic than people were used to. She would wake up every day full of life, energy, and enthusiasm. She was the one who could break any awkward silence, the ultimate icebreaker who could make a new friend in an instant, then rally a whole crew of kids on the playground for a game she made up on the spot. There was this magnetic energy about her.
She loved being a big sister, helping out with her brother Zaire from the day he was born. Their bond grew during the pandemic, time revealing that he was the only person she knew who could match her energy level and quick wit. She was also an amazing daughter to my wife, always attached to her hip, spending quality girl time, baking, getting their nails done, sharing their deepest feelings.
She was my little mini-me, my twin with her mother’s eyes. She loved basketball, we’d practice in the backyard until it was dark and stay up late watching Nuggets games together. She sat right next to me through years of miserable Denver Broncos and Buffs games. She had ADHD just like me, that impulsive urge to do whatever pops into your head and that feeling of embarrassment when you probably pushed too hard. We had countless nicknames that only we knew, calling each other Dante Jr and Millie Sr.
Her presence motivated me to be better from the moment she was born. I wouldn’t be the man I am today without Millie.
Millie faced her diagnosis with courage, never complaining or letting cancer stop her. She went to school, played basketball, visited family, and chased dreams with a smile and her loud laugh. Her last 90 days were in the hospital; I rarely left her side, cherishing every moment despite the pain. We fought for the life she deserved, but something greater prevailed.
I miss you, Millie. I’m so proud of you baby girl.
