Person:Taylor Johnson (1)

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JOHNSON, Taylor Rae, 7, of Land O' Lakes, passed away Sunday, July 13, 2003. She was born in Tampa, Fla. She was a student at Lake Myrtle Elementary School and a member of Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church. She is survived by her parents, Jeff and Angie Johnson of Land O' Lakes, Fla.; one brother, Landon; maternal grandparents, Linda Hillman and Maloy Bangs of Minnesota; paternal grandparents, Evelyn and Jerry Johnson of Minnesota. A Funeral Mass will be held at 2 p.m. on Thursday at Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church. Interment to follow at Trinity Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday at Loyless Funeral Home. LOYLESS FUNERAL HOME Land O' Lakes/Lutz Chapel (813) 996-6610 Published in the TBO.com on 7/15/2003. A Short But Full Life Quietly Comes To End

Tampa Tribune July 15, 2003 Section: PASCO Page: 1

LORIE JEWELLljewell@@tampatrib.com Memo: Lorie Jewell is on military leave from the Tribune, serving with the 107th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment of the Florida National Guard. She can be reached at: lorie.jewell@@us.army.mil

TAYLOR JOHNSON HAS RELIEF FROM BATTLE WITH CANCER

LAND O' LAKES - Taylor Johnson fought the monster for nearly four years, stubbornly refusing to let it rob her of little-girl rites of passage - riding a bicycle without training wheels, swim lessons, dressing as a strawberry for Halloween, bopping through a live concert with the popular boy-band "NSync.

Most recently, there were Girl Scout cookies to deliver, sleepovers with best friends Madi and Andrea, and taking First Holy Communion at Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church in a saintly white dress.

The fight ended just after 10 p.m. Sunday when Taylor , 7, died at home from neuroblastoma, the cancer that has repeatedly racked her tiny body since its discovery in October 1999. She's an angel now, her family says, safe at last from the aggressive disease they call "The Monster," which put her through dozens of rounds of chemotherapy, radiation, stem cell transplants, platelet treatments, countless tests, excruciating pain and terrifying nightmares.

Taylor died peacefully, surrounded by her parents, Jeff and Angie; brother, Landon, 5; and many other family members and close friends. Her cat, Sweetheart, nuzzled her to the end and then disappeared. The family believes Sweetheart, a gray Tabby with white paws and a brown spot in the middle of her head, somehow got out of the house after Taylor died.

On the day before her death, friends filled the family's Lake Padgett Estates East home. Several gathered around her bed, singing to Taylor . Her mom and dad each spent several hours alone with her while she was still conscious enough to respond.

"She was very peaceful; there was no pain," Jeff Johnson said. "I kept telling her we would be all right, that it was OK not to fight anymore. We were on her time."

Taylor was diagnosed about a month after her fourth birthday with neuroblastoma, a cancer that typically attacks the nervous tissues of young children. The couple discovered a bump on her blond head after a family outing to Busch Gardens. It turned out to be malignant, with doctors giving a 50-50 chance of beating the cancer.

During Taylor 's first stay at All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg, the Johnsons were introduced to an unexpected resource - an Internet Web site called CaringBridge. They created a page dedicated to Taylor where they could keep friends and family updated on her condition. It also has a guest book for visitors.

Taylor 's page is at: www.caringbridge.org/page/taylorjohnson

The Internet not only helped the family spread the word about Taylor , but also gave them the means to research her disease and search for possible treatments. The battle brought them to the brink of bankruptcy. Several fundraisers over the past few years - the most recent sponsored in November by their neighborhood homeowner's association - have provided some financial relief.

Angie Johnson left a short message on the Web page early Monday morning relaying the news of Taylor 's death. By early afternoon, dozens of condolence messages filled the guest book.

Many messages thank Taylor for teaching them how to appreciate life and inspiring them with her determination to live.

Those messages and the continued support of the central Pasco community are propping the family up, Jeff Johnson said.

"We knew this day might come, but we were hoping it wouldn't," he said. "Just knowing so many people care has helped a lot. It's pretty amazing how many lives she touched."

(CHART) ARRANGEMENTS

A wake for Taylor Johnson will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday. The funeral will be 2 p.m. Thursday at Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church, 2348 Collier Parkway, Land O' Lakes, with burial following at Trinity Memorial Gardens, 12609 Memorial Drive, Trinity.

Cutline: Tribune file photo by CHRISTINE DeLESSIO (2002)

(C) Sweetheart, the family cat, remained at Taylor Johnson 's side until the 7-year-old died peacefully Sunday night surrounded by family and friends.

1. ↑ marta nordbo.ged.

   Date of Import: 12 Sep 2005

2. ↑ marta nordbo.ged.

   Date of Import: 12 Sep 2005

3. ↑ marta nordbo.ged.

   Date of Import: 12 Sep 2005