First animal sound she made was a cow

Bedroom: Decorated in Noah's Ark pastels

First smile: 8-23-01 age 1 month 10 days

First laugh: 9-22-01 age 2 months 9 days

First time she rolled over: 10-5-01 age 2 months 23 days

First time she held her own bottle: 12-3-01 age 4 months 20 days

First time she slept through the night: 1-20-02 age 6 months 1 week

First time she sat up by herself: 1-13-92 age 6 months exactly

First tub bath: 7-21-01 age 8 days

First time she crawled: 3-4-02 age 7 months 19 days (she crawled to Uncle Robbie)

First real food: Bananas on 5-8-02 age 9 months 22 days

First time she stood up alone: 5-1-02 age 9 months 18 days

First step: at Uncle Robbie's race on 6-15-02 age 11 months 2 days

First word: "Mama" on 1-17-02 age 6 months 4 days

First time to say "MeMaw": 5-15-02 age 10 months 2 days

First time she gave Mommy a kiss: 1-2-02 age 5 months 20 days

First song she tried to sing: "You Are My Sunshine"

First time she tried to dance: Age 1 year old

First gifts: A soft cloth doll from MeMaw & a small stuffed Piglet from Uncle Robbie

First Dental Appointment: 8-1-05, age 4 years 19 days. She had a cavity filled and was so good. She was a little bit anxious but did very well. Dr. Gregory Strain told her he was putting stars in her teeth. She believed him.

Wore 1st real shoes to church at age 1 (white patent leather Mary Janes)

Tried to play peek-a-boo with Mommy at age 1 year

1st Halloween costume: a pumpkin

1st questions about God: Where is God? Is He with Pop? Why can't I see them?

First prayer she learned: "God is great, God is good, let us thank Him for our food. Amen."

HAYLEE'S FIRST PET

Saydee was Haylee's first pet.  Saydee's name was chosen and spelled to match Haylee's name.  Saydee was the sister to a puppy named Simon, who belonged to Shelby Easley, Haylee's cousin and best friend (Shelby is 5 months younger than Haylee).  Haylee and Saydee adored each other very much.

Haylee with one of her first gifts, a stuffed Piglet from Uncle Robbie.

Haylee was born on Friday the 13th.

Haylee was Homecoming Princess at the high school her mommy taught at, in 2005.

She loved to eat sour pickles, grilled cheese sandwiches, chicken nuggets, broccoli beef chinese food, ceasar salads, watermelon, plums, strawberries with whipped cream, and peaches.

Haylee loved cheerleading and wanted to be a cheerleader.

Her favorite TV show was Dragon Tales.  Her favorite movie was The Land Before Time.

She loved school.

She loved books and had learned to read a little shortly before she died.

She loved going to the mall.

Her favorite drink was orange drink.

She had 2 favorite dolls - a little Indian doll "Pocahontas" & "NuNu" (a baby doll from MeMaw - Shelby had a twin doll named "Sippy Cup")

Haylee had 2 ducks - she named them herself - "Spirit" & "Ducken"

She loved to dance.  Each new dress she got, she'd test it out to see if it was a "dancing dress" (if the skirt part would billow out when she'd twirl)

Haylee was born at 2:05 p.m.

Haylee's favorite songs were "You Are My Sunshine" & "Jesus Loves Me"

Her first word was "Mama" when she was 5 1/2 months old.

Haylee walked at 11 months old.

Haylee's Great Great Grandmother was a Cherokee Indian princess (Princess Little Flower)  Her father was chief of the tribe.  MeMaw always told Haylee her Indian name was "Princess Crooked Finger" because Haylee was double-jointed in one of her pointer fingers & whenever she would point, her finger looked crooked.  Haylee would just giggle and giggle about it.

Haylee's memorial service was attended by more than 2,000 people.

Haylee is Italian from her father's side of the family, and Irish & Indian from her mother's side of the family.

Haylee was given her first dill pickle at age 6 months by her Uncle Robbie.  Ever since that night, she loved sour foods - pickles, sweet tarts, anything sour!  Uncle Robbie also gave her her first taste of chewing gum.  It was sugarless gum that he called "kid's gum." He gave it to her the night after her first dance recital.  Her Mommy was so afraid she'd swallow it but Uncle Robbie told her to give it to him when she was done, and she did! Every time she saw Uncle Robbie after that, she asked, "Do you have any kids' gum?" so he always tried to have some in his pocket for her. Haylee was very well-behaved. At school in Pre-K, each child had an apple next to his or her name on a board. When a child misbehaved, the teacher would move the apple. Haylee was so proud every day when she'd go to visit MeMaw after school. She'd run up saying, "I didn't move my apple today!" In a whole year of school, not once was Haylee's apple moved. The children who had behaved each day got to choose a tiny toy from a bowl on the teacher's desk. They could choose from an assortment, amongst which were little plastic dinosaurs. Haylee always chose a dinosaur. Correction to this story: Just found out that actually, Haylee's apple was moved just one time. She was turning the light off and on in class one day, so the teacher had to move her apple. Haylee was so upset she just laid her head down on her desk & said "my stomach hurts so bad; I think I need my Mommy." Her wonderful teacher let her spend the rest of the day in her Mommy's classroom. After school when she made her daily visit to MeMaw, MeMaw answered the door to find Haylee crying & crying. When MeMaw asked what was wrong, Haylee wouldn't tell her; she just ran past her into the house. Sonya told MeMaw what had happened. MeMaw still appreciates how kind Haylee's teacher was to her.

 Uncle Robbie is MeMaw's son & Sonya's (Mommy) brother.  He is also Shelby & Carly's Daddy (Carly was a small infant when Haylee's accident occurred).

Uncle Robbie is a fireman & a policeman. Haylee loved him very much & he loved her very much right back.  She loved to go visit him at the fire station and see his fire truck.  She colored him a wonderful picture of a policeman.

"Unk" is Uncle Rusty Bryant, Aunt Sherry's husband.  (Aunt Sherry is Sonya's sister, MeMaw & Pop's daughter).  Unk is also the father of JoJo & Ray-Ray.

Haylee used to help Unk feed his turtle.  He fed the turtle worms, and this caused a bit of worry for Haylee, who loved worms.  Unk had to tell her he only fed "bad worms" to the turtle.  So every time Haylee would help him, she always asked "Unk, is this a bad worm or a good worm?" before she'd feed it to the turtle

Aunt Sherry is Sherry Easley Bryant, MeMaw's daughter, Sonya's (Mommy) Sister

Aunt Sherry adored Haylee so much!  Haylee adored her too.  Aunt Sherry is the Mother to Haylee's beloved cousins, JoJo & Ray-Ray.  She is married to Unk (Uncle Rusty).

The cutest pet for the cutest girl - this page is all about Haylee Girl & her puppy Saydee Girl!  Saydee loved Haylee so much and felt at ease and comfortable in Haylee's gentle arms.  Just looking at their pictures shows you that.

When Haylee would go to sleep at night, her family would put little Saydee in her doggy bed and put the doggy bed at the foot of little Haylee's bed.  Without fail, the next morning they'd find Saydee all curled up in Haylee's arms.  What a pair!

When they'd go places, Haylee would always tell Saydee, "look out the window, Saydee, so you can see where we're goin'!" She also used to tell her Mommy, "We need to buy a seatbelt for Saydee so she can buckle in."

When it would rain, she'd say "We better hurry and get inside 'cause sugar melts!" 

She always used to tell MeMaw "I love you more much!"

She called her Daddy "Da-doo" when she was very tiny.

She'd always say "how 'bout" as in... "How 'bout we eat at McDonalds?"  "How 'bout we watch something different?" (if she didn't like the movie someone was watching)  "Ummm, Ray-Ray, how 'bout we do that again?" if she liked a game they were playing.

When she found out from MeMaw that her beloved teacher in pre-K, Mrs. Schayot, wouldn't be her teacher the next year, she just looked at MeMaw for a minute & then said "well then I just won't go to school."

"HIP PA MA POT A MAS"

When she had to give up her nunu (pacifier), one day her mommy went to take a nap.  Haylee climbed up in MeMaw's lap & said, "Mommy's asleep, go get me my nunu!"

"Buckie your seat belt!"

"You spoil me, MeMaw!"

"Mommy, the moon looks like a fingernail."

"Mommy, where's the rest of the moon?"

When she first started talking, she couldn't say Shelby, so she called her "Belby"  She called Joseph (her cousin) DoDo (meaning to say "JoJo")

"MeMaw, I want you to hold me with both arms."

MeMaw bought Haylee & Shelby twin dolls for Christmas one year.  Haylee named hers "nunu" & Shelby named hers "sippy cup."

"MeMaw, why don't you sleep in your earrings?  I sleep in mine."  Ever since the day after Haylee died, MeMaw has been wearing (& sleeping in) Haylee's 1st pair of birthstone earrings.

"Mommy (or MeMaw) will you find me a channel?"

               Unk (Uncle Rusty) has a turtle on his back porch. He would dig worms to feed it. Haylee loved worms, so therefore she did not want the turtle to eat worms. So Unk told her that he only fed bad worms to the turtle. Every time she saw him digging worms, she would say “Unk, is this a good worm or a bad worm?”

Whenever Haylee got to get a treat, like a new toy or a honey bun or whatever it might be, she never wanted one just for herself.  She always included her little brother & her best friend & cousin, Shelby.  She'd say, "can we get one for Shelby too?" or "Don't forget Bubba; he needs clothes too!" or "Can me & Shelby have a honey bun?"  She was so generous and loving!

"I'm the best finder in the world.  I can find whatever you're looking for."

At red lights, Haylee would say "Turn green, light; turn green, light; turn green, light" until it would turn green.  Then she'd say "I made the light turn green!!!"

"When Bubba gets older, his peepee will fall off like mine did, huh Mommy?"

"I'm going to be Dr. Lucas when I grow up!"

One time she locked herself in MeMaw's bathroom when she was two.  MeMaw had to take the door off the hinges to get Haylee out.  Haylee never cried or complained - she just sat there real quietly and waited.

"I dialed your number and Mommy doesn't know I called you!"

"What's takin' Shelby so long to get here??" (she'd say that at least a dozen times anytime she was waiting for Shelby to arrive)

One time her Mommy had to go by the mall just real quickly to get one thing.  On the way out, Haylee said, "Mommy, no one told me I was beautiful!"  She was used to everybody stopping them to tell her how beautiful she was.

"Bubba's gonna be so handsome when he grows up!"

"I checked your mailbox & you don't have any mail.  Those mailmen just don't like you, but the women do!"

She would take off Bubba's socks and look in between his toes and say "Eww Yuck Bubba has toe cheese!"

"This is mine and your car, huh, MeMaw?"

"You are the bestest MeMaw in the world!"

"I was right! You were wrong!!" "

One time she was standing on a chair at MeMaw's, washing her plastic dishes in the sink.  MeMaw noticed she was holding a glass and told her to put it down before it broke because it could cut her.  Haylee kept washing the glass.  Finally MeMaw told her to put it down or she would spank her butt.  Haylee started crying and said, "MeMaw you never said that to me before!"

"Da-doo will you sleep with me tonight?"

"I take big bites; Bubba takes little bites."

She would eat pancakes and take one bite herself & then she'd say "it's Bubba's turn now!"

She'd look in MeMaw's ears and say "You have bad ears!  You've been eating apples again!"

"Look at my feet MeMaw - I'm wearing your high heels!"

Haylee's cousin JoJo plays guitar. She called his guitar picks "hearts." When she would find one that he'd left laying around, she'd say "I found JoJo's heart!" After Haylee died, MeMaw had a necklace made for JoJo of a guitar pick with a ruby (Haylee's birthstone) stone on the front. The back of the pick says "Haylee's Heart." JoJo has never taken the necklace off.

"I love you to the moon and back!"

Her Mommy would ask her, "Who loves you the most?" & Haylee'd always say, "MOMMY!!!"

"Let's go find a lizard."

"Can we go outside and dig for worms?"

"MeMaw, can you scratch my back until I fall asleep?"  When MeMaw would stop Haylee'd say, "I'm not asleep yet!"

When her family would ask her a question, she'd say "Yes Ma'am" or "No Ma'am" and then she would say "I said Yes Ma'am!"  She was so polite.

She loved her school uniform so much and was so proud to wear it that she didn't want to change into something more comfortable when she got home from school.

She would call MeMaw on speed dial & say "Hi, MeMaw - whatcha doin?"  MeMaw would say folding clothes and Haylee would say "What else are you doing?" MeMaw'd say "watching TV." Haylee would say "And what else are you doing?" etc. etc.

"Mommy, can I wear flip flops today?"

"Don't cry, Mommy.  It's going to be okay." "Oh! Yeah! These shoes fit alright!" "MeMaw, can I wash your table?" "Mommy, can I brush your hair?" "Mommy forgot to give me my num-num today." (instead of num nums) "MeMaw, I think you are so beautiful just the way you are!" "MeMaw, can I wear your makeup?" "MeMaw, I'm not going to miss you when you go on that plane to Aunt Sherry's, because I'm going with you!" When she'd see a school bus, she would say, "There's Ra-Ra's school bus." "MeMaw, will you buy me some plums and watermelons?" "I have to teach Bubba how to brush his teeth." "Mommy, I have homework tonight." "Mommy, can we have a picnic in the back yard?" When Bubba would bite her, Mommy & MeMaw would tell her to bite him back. She'd say "I can't bite my brother it would hurt him." "Can I roll down the window and let the wind blow in my face and hair?" "MeMaw, my feet are really cold. Can I put my feet between your knees to warm them up?" (they were in bed) MeMaw would pick her up at school and then they'd wait on the bench outside her Mommy's classroom (Sonya teaches high school English at a Christian private school). Some of the students would pass by and speak to Haylee & she'd look up at MeMaw and say, "Those are Mommy's kids." Sonya & MeMaw had helped Haylee hang a birdhouse by her Pop's grave. One day while taking Pop flowers, Haylee stood on the bench to look in the birdhouse. She started hollering, "Mommy these big ants are flying and chasing me!" She started running towards her Mommy and MeMaw. The ants were not ants at all; they were wasps that had built a nest in her birdhouse. She never got stung once by them. Once when Haylee couldn't get rid of a cold, Dr. Lucas put her on steroids. That night they were laying in MeMaw's bed and Haylee began to talk. "MeMaw, there's a baby on that fan. Go catch it because it's going to fall off! It's a real baby, MeMaw, go get it before it falls and gets hurt." They called Dr. Lucas and she took Haylee off of the steroids, but Haylee never liked to look at that fan again. MeMaw would fix her lunch and put a little surprise (like cherries) in it & when Haylee'd get home she'd say "MeMaw you put a surprise in my lunchbox." "Bubba can do the I love you sign." "MeMaw, did I make a perfect 3 this time?" She'd jump up onto MeMaw's lap & say, "Let's play that neck game." It was a game where she would kiss MeMaw on the neck and MeMaw would laugh really hard. "I see the moon; the moon sees me; God bless the moon and God bless me." "Mommy, (or MeMaw) do I look beautiful?" "MeMaw, can I "spend" with you tonight?" "Jesus wouldn't like that, would he Mommy?" "Can we get Chinese?" (food) "Evan always wants to play that kissing game at recess. I told Mrs. Schayot that I didn't want to play it, so she made him stop." When MeMaw would bathe her and take her to dry off, she'd call her Skinny Butt. Haylee would laugh and say "Don't call me Skinny Butt!" "I want to be a cheerleader, just like Ra-Ra." "I have to call JoJo and tell him I made all A's just like him." "I'm going to marry JoJo when I grow up!" They'd tell her JoJo was her cousin & she couldn't marry him. So she said "Well, then I'm going to marry Travis!" (Travis is Joe's best friend). "I'll help you put your curlers in your hair." "I'll help you make your bed." When she'd spend the night with MeMaw, she'd say "Let's snuggle in your bed and watch movies and read books." When Bubba would cry & they couldn't get him to stop, Haylee'd start saying "Waaaa Waaaa Wa Waaaa" over and over & he would stop crying. The wind would blow MeMaw's flag that hung from her house up on the roof and it would get stuck there. Haylee'd say "Go spank that flag. It's not supposed to be on the roof." "Mommy can we get donuts on the way home?" "These orange drinks are for me, MeMaw, and Uncle Robbie." Sonya gave her senior class a crawfish boil, and Haylee told MeMaw, "she's doing it for her students!" "MeMaw, will you carry me to the car?" "Ride me piggyback to the front room, MeMaw!" Reading books was just about her favorite thing to do. She would beg her family to read 4 or 5 books every night before bed. Then when she was in Pre-K she learned to read simple books like "Dick and Jane." She was sooooo happy. She wanted to read to everyone who would listen. When MeMaw would pick her up & they'd go to pick up Bubba, Haylee'd say, "Now it's not the big one - it's the other one... I'll show you where his room is." When they'd get to his room, she'd say "Bubba, look who's here!" "I love Caesar salads." "MeMaw let's ride the horsey." (Meaning MeMaw's foot) "Can me and Shelby take our shoes off?" "Can me and Shelby take a bath together?" One morning the phone rang at MeMaw's really early. It was Haylee. She said "MeMaw I called you all by myself 'cause Mommy is sick and laying on the floor." MeMaw asked her to get in the fridge and get some orange juice and give it to Mommy. She laid the phone down and got the juice. She held on until Sonya could talk to MeMaw & tell her she was better. Her hypoglycemia was acting up. When she'd eat her pancakes and watch cartoons, MeMaw would have to remind her to chew because she'd get so involved in the cartoon. "MeMaw, why are you in that hospital bed? What is that in your arm?" (it was an I.V.) "MeMaw, Evan didn't want to play with me today. He wanted to play with the boys!" "Look what Andre gave me!" (her "boyfriend") She would spend the night with Shelby and end up sleeping with Uncle Robbie because Shelby always wanted to sleep with her Mommy. During and after Hurricane Katrina, the family stayed in Texas with Aunt Sherry & Unk Rusty & Rachel and Joe for about 6 weeks. She became very close to Sherry, Rusty, JoJo and Ray Ray during those weeks. "Can we go back to Disney World?" "Andre is my boyfriend, but Evan is my best friend." Instead of saying "sandwich" she would say "samwich." "MeMaw, can I help you decorate your Christmas tree?" "Can me and Shelby hand out the Christmas gifts from under the tree?" She would always tell Uncle Robbie, "don't smoke!" The next one's in MeMaw's own words: Many nights she would call me (she knew how to call me on ‘speed dial’) and she would say. “MeMaw can you come over?” I would say, ”Not tonight, Baby Girl, it’s too late” She would use that little ‘pouty’ voice and say, “But I want you, MeMaw.” Now how I wish I had gone over every time she called.!!! Sonya was "always prepared," according to MeMaw. Once while out shopping at Burlington, Haylee had to go potty (newly potty-trained). At Burlington, you have to ask a sales associate to let you in the restrooms, and it always takes awhile for them to come. Haylee had to go really bad & was getting very uncomfortable & upset. Sonya whipped out a pull-up diaper, had Haylee step out of her panties & into the pull-up, & told her to go potty. She did. Of course, Sonya had a wet wipe in her purse. Problem fixed! She said her own name a lot. When she'd say something, her family would say, "who said that?" & Haylee would smile so cute & say "Haylee did." She'd tell Shelby, "come sit by Haylee." She loved a television commercial where a little girl with really long hair drinks grape juice. When it would come on TV, she'd scream for MeMaw & say "That little girl is on TV again! I want my hair to be as long as her hair!" She loved to drink grape juice, and MeMaw doesn't know if that's why or not. She loved to sing "Jingle Bells" whether it was Christmas time or not!

Pop is Haylee's maternal grandfather (Sonya's Dad & MeMaw's husband)

Pop had been diagnosed with cancer before Haylee was born and was pretty sick for the 6 months he got to be here with Haylee after she was born.  Pop & Haylee were very close, sharing what seemed like a spiritual bond according to MeMaw. 

Pop called Haylee "Tweety Bird" & "My Tweety Bird" & she had a Christmas stocking with Tweety Bird on it.

Pop chose Haylee's middle name, Danyelle.  He had actually chosen it for Sonya when she was going to be born, but MeMaw got other ideas at the last minute and insisted on naming Sonya after her 2 sisters (Jo Ann is Sonya's middle name).  So Sonya told Pop, "I'll name her Danyelle for you."  And she did.

Pop was a very caring minister to a large church in Louisiana.  His family calls him the greatest man they have ever known.  He went to Heaven on 12/20/01 & was waiting for Haylee when she got there, too.

Pop & Haylee are missed every day, so very much.

Rachel Easley Bryant is Haylee's cousin & she is 9 years older than Haylee.  Haylee called her, "Ray-Ray."  They were so proud to be each other's cousin and loved each other dearly.  Haylee wanted to be a cheerleader just like Ray-Ray; she also wanted to look just like Ray-Ray.  Whenever she saw any school bus on the road, she'd say, "there's Ray-Ray's bus!" even though Ray-Ray lived in Texas and Haylee in Louisiana.  They got to see each other all the time, though; their family is very close and if Haylee's family wasn't flying out to see the Bryants, then the Bryants were coming to them.  Rachel misses Haylee so much;

Joseph Bryant is Haylee's cousin; he was 11 years old when she was born.  She wanted to be just like him!  Joseph says he wants to be just like HER now.  Haylee also wanted to marry Joseph, but she found out that unfortunately, she couldn't!  Although disappointed, Haylee quickly recovered and made her 2nd choice:  she would marry Joseph's best friend Travis.

When Haylee was tiny, she called Joseph "DoDo."  She was trying to say "JoJo."  Before too long, she mastered speaking the letter "J" & Joseph was JoJo from that point on.  JoJo & Haylee adored each other.  One of Haylee's goals was to get "All As just like JoJo" in school.  JoJo says he hadn't gotten all As, but Haylee thought so much of him she always thought he did get all As.

JoJo loved ninja turtles, so Haylee loved them too.  She called them "injun turtles."

JoJo has worn and still wears a pink memory bracelet for Haylee.  It has her name on it

"Haylee "Baby Girl" Mazzella"

"July 13, 2001-June 3, 2006"

He has never removed the bracelet and he never will.  He also got a beautiful tattoo for Haylee.  It's a drawing of her real baby footprints with her name and her date of birth on Earth as well as her date of birth back to Heaven.  Haylee is proud of you in Heaven, JoJo!  What a sweet friendship the 2 of you had and will always have.

Haylee's very best friend was and is her cousin, Shelby Easley.  Shelby is just 5 months younger than Haylee.  Haylee was there to meet Shelby right after Shelby was born, and they were as close as sisters from that moment on.  Theirs is truly the sweetest friendship you could hope to find.

Haylee loved Shelby so much!  Even though they saw each other almost every day, every time they met they'd hug each other like they hadn't met in weeks!  When they attended the same school for a year, Haylee always had to know which room Shelby was in.  When she got a new toy, Haylee always said, "Can we get one for Shelby too?"  When she wanted to eat a honey bun, it wasn't "Can I have a honey bun?"  It was always, "Can me and Shelby have a honey bun?"

Shelby misses Haylee so much.  It is so hard for her to understand that Haylee is never coming back.  It's so unfair to both of these precious, sweet, adorable little girls!  What a blessing to have Haylee for a best friend, and what a heartbreak it must be to have lost her.

Haylee's little brother, Thomas the 4th, was born November 5, 2004.  She was soooo excited!  From the instant he was born, she was his constant companion, playmate, and protector.  She nicknamed him "Bubba" & from then on, everybody called him Bubba.  She was his "sissy." 

When they'd go to visit MeMaw, Haylee would knock on the door and say, "It's me, Haylee and Bubba too!!!"  When MeMaw was buying Haylee new clothes, Haylee'd say "don't forget Bubba; he needs clothes too!"  When someone would come over who hadn't seen the new baby yet, Haylee'd run up to them, sweetly take them by the hand, and say "I want to introduce you to my brother; I'm Sissy & he's Bubba!"

Bubba was just 19 months old when he lost his darling sister.  He asked for her everyday, and he still cries for her.  He doesn't understand why she can't visit or come to his birthday parties.  When it rains, Bubba says the rain comes from Haylee's home.  It is so unfair that these two precious children had to be separated on earth by one person's negligence and stupidity.  I know Haylee smiles down on you from above, Bubba.  She always will.

The following was written by Sonya Mazzella, Mommy to Haylee & Bubba

When I found out I was pregnant with my second child I worried about Haylee’s reaction. However, to my surprise she was excited and ready to shop for baby things. She wanted to help decorate it’s room. I told her we would have to wait until we found out what it would be. Well she wanted a sister. That worried me. A few weeks down the line we found out it was a boy. I thought this would upset her but she was ecstatic. She even helped to pick out his name, big girl. She wanted to buy everything that was blue or a ball. She was my biggest fan and supporter during those 9 months. She was such a joy to be around it made me being so sick, not as bad.
The day Thomas was born was not just exciting for the adults but also for one special little girl. She could hardly wait for him to arrive. When he did she wanted to kiss him all over but she was shy about holding him at first. She got over that fairly fast. She gave him a nickname “Bubba” and hers was “Sissy”. From then on that's what we called them both. I was so happy to see her love and joy shine out about her new brother. She sang, You are My Sunshine” to him in the hospital so he would remember her voice.
As Thomas turned one and could be more mobile they became the best of friends. They played for hours in each others rooms. They ran, played chance, tackle, push-cars and made up games. I loved to watch them play together. I always felt so blessed that they loved each other so much and got along so well. Thomas asks for Sissy all the time. I don’t know what to say to him, how can I. I don’t understand any of this either. There is no purpose in this, no reason, so how to we ever understand it. We all endure but do not live, what kind of life is that for our family. She was the best of us all and brought out the best in us all, so why, why her?

MeMaw is Haylee's maternal Grandmother (the Cajun word for Grandmother is "MeMaw").  She & Haylee shared a very unique and special relationship.  They adore each other!  I say that in the present tense because they still do & they always will. 

MeMaw misses her Haylee Girl so very much.  If a daughter is dear to a woman's heart, how dear is a little Granddaughter?  Too dear for words to convey!

WRITTEN BY MOMMY (Sonya Mazzella)

MEMAW (Bonnie Easley)

DADDY (Tommy Mazzella)

Haylee Loves Pink!

Her Signature Color

Pretty in Pink, Miss Haylee

Haylee loved dinosaurs from the moment she first saw one!  Even at 4 years of age, Haylee wasn't fickle -- she loved dinosaurs and kept on loving them; she never tired of them for some new, flashier toy on the market.  I admire that about Haylee so much! she loved all shapes, sizes, and colors of dinosaurs.  Her favorite movie was "The Land Before Time" & she loved to use her dinosaur toys to re-create scenes from episodes.  She had all the seasons on DVD and watched them over & over & over.

Tommy Mazzella is Haylee's Daddy.  When Haylee was very tiny, she called him "Da-doo"

Haylee adored her DaDa so much & he adored her right back.  They loved to be together.  Haylee is his little princess forever.

The night before Haylee had to leave was the last time Tommy & Haylee got to talk to each other.  He was sitting in the living room and Haylee came in the room and said, "I love you DaDa."  She said it twice, "I love you DaDa." He said "I love you too Baby Girl." The next day morning he went to work & it was at work that he got the unimaginable phone call to tell him to come to the hospital... 

Sonya Mazzella was so blessed to be Haylee's Mommy ~ what a high honor!  She considers Haylee her greatest gift in life and grieves for Haylee with every breath she takes.  Her pain continues to get worse every day as she misses little Haylee.  Even though she doesn't feel strong enough to make it without Haylee, she has endured each day and done her best FOR Haylee & she will continue to do so until one sweet day when her beloved daughter is back in her arms again, never to leave.

Haylee drowned on 6-3-06 at a barbeque that some relatives were having.  At a little after 4:00 p.m., Haylee's mommy told Haylee it was time to get out of the pool as her little brother needed to have his diaper and wet clothes changed for the ride home.  Haylee begged for just 10 more minutes of swimming, and her step-grandmother said she would watch her.  Haylee's mommy reluctantly said yes and went into the house.  She was gone less than 10 minutes.  In that short time, Haylee's step-grandmother decided to go into the house as well, and she left Haylee unsupervised in the swimming pool.  Haylee's mommy started hearing people yelling "Call 911!" & came back outside, thinking someone had hurt their foot or some other minor thing.  Instead she saw her 4 year old daughter laying on the ground having CPR done on her.  She was lifeless.  Paramedics rushed her to the hospital but it was too late... Baby Girl had been under the water for too long & she just didn't have the strength to come back & stay here where she belongs.  She was only 4 years old and would have turned five in a little over a month.