Memorial for Mia Bella Friday, September 5, 2014

We will be having a celebration of Mia Bella's life this Friday, Sept 5th at her school, which she adored.

Boston College
Campus School
Lynch School of Education
Campion Hall Rm 197
235 Beacon St
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467

The party will begin at 1:00pm and it will be a PARTY! We always said that we wanted to celebrate the life Mia lived when she passed, and make it as happy of an occasion as we could.

We will have food, music, and there will be a time for people to share their feelings and remembrances of Mia Bella's incredible life.

The Campus School is right on Beacon St, but please park in the BC parking garage which is just east of the school on Beacon if you're heading toward Boston.

We are asking if you would like to contribute something to please give a donation to our fund for Mia or please donate to the Campus School. The Campus School is an amazing place, filled with brilliant and caring teachers, therapists, nurses, aides and staff.

Campus School donation info here: Campus School Donation information.

IMPORTANT: If you're using GPS make sure you use Chestnut Hill as the city and NOT Boston.

Please call the Campus School with any questions @ (617) 552-3460

Link to Google Maps BC Campus School

Mia Bella Zingarelli February 10, 2007 - September 1, 2014

Mia Bella made her transition last night at around 9pm. She was in her favorite place in the world, her mother's arms.

She went peacefully, and without pain. We watched as she took her last breaths and then she was gone.

I don't have many words right now, other than to say besides being completely heartbroken and beyond words missing our little angel, we are happy that she is at last complete again and at peace.

After my last blog post yesterday, Mia began to decline. She required more and more breathing support just to survive and her lungs were failing without it. We could not let her continue to struggle, as she has for so so long. Mia was tired, and she was ready. Fitting that she chose Labor Day to go.

The picture above is from a couple of years ago at the incredible Boston College Campus School where she loved to go and learn and discover. That is how she went, in Francesca's arms with me by her side, and our parents surrounding the three of us.

Thank you to all for the outpouring of love and support that you have given us not only in the last few days, but all of Mia's precious life. She made the world a better place and all that knew her have been forever changed.

We are having a memorial service near our home in Massachusetts on Friday, and probably another for our friends in New York who cannot make it. We're still sorting it all out. Details to follow.

Thank you again.

Love,

Noah

Labor Day

Thank you so much to our amazing community and network of friends, family, and beyond. It is incredible the reach that the internet allows, bringing people together and making it so easy to help and support one another. We are eternally grateful for the support we have been given, not just in the last few days but throughout all of Mia's life. Whenever we have needed it, you have all been there for us and it has made all the difference. 

Mia had an OK night. They are trying to ween her off of the ventilator, but her oxygen level began to desaturate and they had to raise it back up. She had a fever of 101 but beyond that no major episodes.

I spoke to the nurse this morning from home and both Mia and Mom are resting. They lowered her oxygen support to 60% and she seems to be tolerating that level so we'll see how that goes. Her temperature has come into a more normal range and she hasn't needed any Tylenol.

She's on quite a large dosage of morphine to keep her sedated, as well as other drugs to help with the pain. It breaks my heart to see my little girl in this state. I miss her bright eyes, her smile when I walk in the room, her yelling at me when she has a dirty diaper, and her incredible lust for life and wide-eyed curiosity of all things.

I know that that is all still there, somewhere below the haze of medications, wires, tubes, and monitors. I pray that we will see that little girl emerge from this again. If nothing else Mia is a fighter, and her lesson of strength and courage is beyond description. She inspires me to show up, to see the beauty of this life even when it seemingly knocks you down and drags your around. We have learned the most important lesson you can from this little being of light - that we are here to love unconditionally. We came from love, we are love at the very core of our being, and we are here to love and care for one another. That's it. Nothing else truly matters.

Thank you all for you support. We feel loved and want you to know that you are loved by all of us.

Enjoy the final days of summer and carry Mia in your heart and continue to pray for her recovery.

Love,

Noah, Francesca, and Mia