The heartbroken family that tried to bring their 2-year-old girl back to life through prayer have finally given up on resurrection and are instead planning a memorial for the tragic tot, according to their megachurch.
Andrew and Kalley Heiligenthal had called for worshippers to help “pray for a miracle of resurrection” after losing toddler Olive Alayne on Dec. 14 when she stopped breathing at their home in Redding, California.
“Here is where we are: Olive hasn’t been raised. The breakthrough we have sought hasn’t come,” conceded Bethel Church, which led the prayers seeking a miracle, in a Facebook post Friday. “And so, we are moving towards a memorial service and celebration of her life.”
The church admitted that the initial call for resurrection was “out of the norm,” but insisted, “That’s what a miracle is — it’s outside the box of nature and our power.”
“In this situation, grief has not been avoided,” the church said. “The joy of our faith is that, though we haven’t seen the miracle of Olive being raised, she is alive in the presence of God. Her mom and dad will see her again, and we too will join her in resurrection one day.”
The family called 911 when Olive stopped breathing at home and she was pronounced dead at a Redding hospital. Her cause of death is unclear.
Her mother posted daily Instagram updates about the call for resurrection, ending four days ago.
A GoFundMe page had raised more than $62,500 by Monday morning to support the grieving family who lost a “vivacious, full of wonder, full of life” child.
