Daisy Gilmer

Daisy’s Light
Daisy Faye Gilmer loved music.

She couldn’t speak, but when someone sang to her, she had her own way of letting them know she wanted more. Daisy would gently reach up and touch their face, her signal to keep going. Music made her world brighter.

She especially loved Ms. Rachel. In fact, Daisy went through several Ms. Rachel dolls because she would chew on the doll’s hand to keep the songs playing. When the music stopped working, it meant the doll had done its job.

Lights, songs, and bubbles were some of Daisy’s favorite things. Watching bubbles float through the air made her face light up. So did her weekly ice cream outings and wagon rides through the neighborhood. Even the simplest moments felt magical with Daisy.

Finding Joy in the Little Things
Daisy found happiness in the small beauties of everyday life. She loved going for walks, riding in her electric car, and swinging outside. Time in the pool was especially peaceful for her. Her family would gently lay her on her back so she could feel the water surrounding her.

She also loved school and spending weekends at her Nene’s house. And she definitely had a sweet tooth. Ice cream, pudding, applesauce, mashed potatoes, and banana pudding were all favorites.

Daisy was surrounded by love from the very beginning. Her parents, Seth and Kristen Gilmer, treasured every moment with their daughter, while her younger sister, Violet, brought even more joy to their home. Daisy was also adored by three sets of grandparents, a large extended family, and two cats—Ben and Jerry. Ben became Daisy’s constant companion, rarely leaving her side once she became sick.

When Things Began to Change
In early 2025, Daisy’s parents and teachers began noticing small but concerning changes. Kristen first noticed that Daisy was having trouble swallowing and would sometimes spit out water when she tried to drink. At school, teachers observed that Daisy was regressing in some of her fine motor and physical skills. She was also having unusual episodes that looked like small seizures.

Concerned, Kristen brought Daisy to the emergency room. After a full day of testing, doctors initially prepared to send them home. But Kristen asked for one more test—a CT scan. That scan revealed a mass on Daisy’s brainstem. On May 9, 2025, Daisy was diagnosed with diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, or DIPG.

“I had never heard of DIPG,” Kristen said. “I couldn’t believe that it was 2025 and they were telling me there was no cure and that my daughter was going to die.”

A Community Steps In
In the months that followed, Daisy’s community rallied around the Gilmer family in extraordinary ways. Friends, neighbors, and loved ones organized events and fundraisers to help the family spend as much time together as possible. Their support helped create space for the moments that mattered most. Walks. Ice cream outings. Time together.

Daisy passed away peacefully on September 8, 2025, at just four years old, surrounded by the family who loved her most.

Keeping Daisy’s Memory Alive
Just twelve days after Daisy’s passing, her family attended CureFest in Washington, D.C., where they first connected with the ChadTough Defeat DIPG Foundation. Today, Kristen continues to share Daisy’s story so that others will know her name.

“I want to keep her memory alive,” she says. “I want her face to be seen and her name to be heard. I want to raise awareness for this horrible cancer that has taken too many of our kids. Daisy deserved to be here.”

For Kristen, Daisy will always remain the light that changed her life.

“She was my angel on earth who gave me purpose in life,” she says. “Now she is my angel in Heaven.”

And though Daisy’s time was far too short, the joy she brought to her family—and the love she inspired in everyone around her—continues to ripple outward. Just like bubbles floating in the air.