Family pay tribute to brave Leyla Bell, 16 months

The family of brave Leyla Mae Bell, of Heywood, have paid tribute to their baby girl after she sadly lost her fight for life aged just 16 months after battling illness.

Leyla was diagnosed with a heart condition when she was just four weeks old and spent most of her young life in hospital and on the urgent waiting list for a donor heart since she was born on 2 September 2021.

 

Read more: Baby girl urgently requires a heart transplant as her parents join organ donation appealPublished: 29 July 2022

 

Unfortunately, Leyla passed at the Freeman Hospital, Newcastle, on 14 January 2023 in the arms of her devoted parents, Savana and Martin, aged 16 months and 12 days. She was much adored by her big brothers, Kian and Kayden.

In a tribute to their daughter, Savana said: “Unfortunately Leyla lost her fight, on 14 January 2023 at 1.25am, she took her last breath. In the arms of mummy and daddy, her journey came to an end.

“Leyla was dealt a very cruel disease from a very young age (4 weeks and 5 days old) but she fought everything, every step of the way, she fought with a smile on her face and a sponge in her hand.

“It breaks my heart, but our little warrior princess has left us, not by choice as her determination was still there at the very end, unfortunately her organs couldn't carry her through.

“We tried so hard to keep her here, and she fought so hard and so long, a total of 467 days with end stage heart failure.

“We were so close, yet so far from ‘normal’.

“We've been to hell and back, numerous times over, but if we had the option to do it again, we would.

“To all our friends who've loved and lost, we feel your pain, to all our friends who've had a transplant and made it home, we love you.

“Our hearts are broken, but so full of joy that we managed another 13 months with our princess.

“If Leyla has taught me anything about life, it's to always be grateful for being here.

“Leyla's touched a lot of people's lives in a very short space of time. She fought every day to be here, and she had what she thought was a brilliant life. The team did everything they could to facilitate anything we asked for.

“We've some very fond memories of the time we did have with her. We take solace in the fact that now Leyla's free to be a little princess with no restrictions. We will always love and miss her."

Leyla's celebration of life will take place at Blackley Crematorium Centre Chapel on Tuesday 31 January 2023 at 10am.

Family flowers only please, donations if desired in memory of Leyla can be made to the Sick Children’s Trust, the Charlie and Carter Foundation, the Children’s Heart Unit Fund or Calli's Heart Campaign, care of the funeral director.

Leyla's family warmly invite you to continue celebrating her life at Blackley Golf Club after the service.

Anyone attending is asked to wear navy blue or pink; young children are asked not to attend given Leyla’s young age as her family feel it will be too upsetting.

All enquiries to Mitchell Funeral Services:

• 01706 368 368