After bravely and happily spending her short life overcoming genetic hearing loss and battling a cancer diagnosis, 9-month-old Francesca ‘Bean’ Kaczynski – daughter of CNN journalist Andrew Kaczynski and Wall Street Journal reporter Rachel, died. Louise Ensign – from cancer complications on Christmas Eve.
“We are heartbroken to announce that our beautiful daughter Francesca passed away last night in the arms of her mother and father,” tweeted Kaczynski, who described Bean’s battle with cancer on the platform. “There will always be a bean-sized hole in our hearts for her. We are so grateful to have known her love. “
A GoFundMe started in September for “Team Beans” has raised more than $ 115,000. Instead of flowers, food, or any kind of gifts, the family has asked that donations are made in Francesca’s honor to a bike-a-thon fundraiser who donates all proceeds to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Kaczynski also tweeted that people can donate blood or platelets at a Boston Children’s Hospital, where Bean was treated with “remarkable love and kindness,” he wrote in a Medium post of her passing.
In her nine months on this Earth, Bean showed herself to be an “outgoing, courageous and curious baby,” a huge fan of food, Elmo and being kept close at night, Kaczynski wrote in the heartbreaking article. “Francesca, a Sesame Street fan from Brooklyn, enjoyed taking long walks around New York City and Boston, playing with her toys and balloons, attending speech therapy, and ‘petting’ (ie grabbing) her cat Ryland,” continued he. Her many smiles sent excitement through the world. She was so generous with them, even when most of the smiles were back covered in masks. “
Despite her life being cut short by cancer, Bean managed to spread a lot of joy in her short time here, including to her doctors and nurses who “would gasp for joy to see her smile.” She “showed her parents a kind of love they never knew before and will never forget” and inspired thousands through Kaczynski’s heartfelt online updates, which were received with a tidal wave of support, prayers and love.