A PHOTOGRAPH of a little Worcestershire girl who always dreamed of flying before she passed away was found hidden on an aircraft in America.
Grace Kelly was just four years old when she died from a rare kidney tumour in 2014.
Six weeks after her death, her grandparents hid the picture behind a bathroom mirror of a Frontier aircraft, with an emotional message.
It read: "Our little angel had always wanted to fly - so she flies with Monarch - hidden away for as long as possible.
"Happy travels darling Grace, you made our life just perfect for all too short a time."
The photograph was recently discovered by maintenance workers in Tampa Bay, Florida, who read the message left by the grandparents and were so moved that they decided to leave the picture in its place so Grace could continue to fly.
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One of the Frontier Airlines maintenance workers who found the picture shared the story with a flight attendant who reached out to Dr Jen Kelly, Grace's mother.
Grace's story has now been shared across America.
Dr Kelly, from Crowle, founded The Grace Kelly Childhood Cancer Trust in 2016 in Grace's memory.
She said: “I am so proud of Grace and all that she has managed to achieve. I always knew that Grace would move mountains.
"This is not the way anyone would have chosen, but now Grace is not only moving mountains but soaring above them too. She never had the chance to fly in a plane, so to know she is flying around high in the clouds is truly special.
"We are so thankful to Frontier Airlines for keeping Grace on board and we are truly grateful they tracked us down to let us know. Thank you so much to everyone who has made this possible for our girl.”
The charity funds research into rare and aggressive childhood cancers, educates families and clinicians about the signs and symptoms of childhood cancer and produces information booklets to explain to parents and children about the treatments they are facing.
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Grace’s legacy has now raised almost £3 million (£2,980,281.47 is the exact amount) and Dr Kelly says she knows Grace would want to carry on.
Dr Kelly said: “Grace’s wish was to help other children and out of such sadness has grown an amazing Trust that supports and comforts so many families facing such a hard journey.
“The team at the Trust work so hard to ensure our support is there when needed. The Trust fund research into childhood cancers and provide emotional, practical and financial support to families.
"We produce medical publications and raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of childhood cancer because early diagnosis saves lives.”
The Trust receives no statutory funding and relies solely on fundraising from businesses and supporters.
For more on the charity, visit www.gkcct.org
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