Lillie's Story

Lillie Nicole Hall was a vibrant, happy and very loving 3-year- old little girl. She had just started her first dance class – this princess loved music and expressing it in her moves! There wasn’t a creature she didn’t love or a human she was afraid of. Lillie loved life and enjoyed every minute of her very short lived life. Her memory will live on in our hearts forever.

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A stomach virus had been going around and a few children 
she had come into contact with had it so her Mommy wasn’t
 surprised when Lillie woke up not feeling well. At first her 
parents thought it was “excited exhaustion"....too much 
candy, soda, and twisty rides from her trip to Kings Dominion the
 day before. Her Mommy kept her resting and gave her plenty
 of fluids. It appeared as though she was improving, but she
spiked a high fever and the vomiting and diarrhea returned. 
A doctor’s appointment was scheduled for the next day. Once 
there, on Friday, October 20, 2017, the doctor did a chest x-ray because she was concerned that Lillie may have pneumonia. They were told she had a viral infection and she was given a shot of antibiotics. The doctor told them to monitor her and if she wasn’t better by Monday to bring her back. They left the doctor’s office and went straight home. That afternoon Lillie wanted to walk with her Mommy to get her “Bubba” off the school bus – she seemed a little better. They returned home after a short walk to and from the bus stop and Lillie climbed up in her favorite comfy recliner, blanket in hand and started to watch television. Within the next hour Lillie suddenly let out a cry for help, “my arms hurt” and her breathing was labored. There was no time to call for an ambulance. Mommy swooped her in her arms; Daddy contacted emergency officials to notify them that they were in route to the hospital emergency room, five minutes from their home, but seemed like the longest ride of their life. A ride Mommy and Daddy will never forget. They were met by emergency personnel upon their arrival and Lillie was rushed into a treatment room, but it was too late. Our precious Lillie was gone.

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We will never know if what the doctor did was sufficient enough for Lillie at the time or if perhaps, there were other measures that could have or should have been taken. It all happened so quickly, we later thought, certainly her condition should have been able to be diagnosed right away but unfortunately that wasn’t the case. For months, we waited to hear the news of what happened to Lillie, what caused the distressed breathing, what caused her poor little heart to be in such distress.

 

Finally, the autopsy report, Lillie died of Myocarditis (inflammation of the myocardium (muscular layer of the wall of the heart) – our baby died because a virus literally attacked the biggest part of her being, her heart!

 

We will forever miss our beautiful little girl, her love and happiness lit up our world. “Lillie’s Love” has been formed in her memory and we plan to host many fundraisers and bring awareness to this horrible disease. We hope that people will not only contribute to the Myocarditis Foundation, but also join us in the many events we plan to hold in her memory as well. A portion of the proceeds from these events will be donated to the Myocarditis Foundation. We need to raise awareness about this disease to both the medical and public communities so that others do not suffer the anguish and pain that we and others have had to endure.

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We are unsure which pain is worse – the shock of what happened or the ache for what never will.

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