Sarah Kaitlin Tindell

Sarah Kaitlin Tindell, precious daughter, loving sister, amazing cousin and faithful friend, won her battle with Ewing ’s Sarcoma on Dec. 18, 2015 .

Sarah faced mighty struggles on a daily basis, but she met them with grace and dignity. She faced every challenge with a positivity that defied all explanation. When cancer and the treatments that were required to fight it hit her hard, she responded with an absolute determination to live.

Most importantly, throughout her entire struggle, Sarah’s goal was to inspire others. She encouraged and uplifted so many, many of whom we are still learning about even now that she’s gone. Sarah believed that cancer saved her life. She was on a shaky path, and cancer gave her strength that she didn’t know she had. Cancer taught her the importance of family and friends. It taught her to love deeper, and throughout her battle she did just that. She had a faith that defied all odds. She set out to spread love and hope to anyone who would listen. There were days that she couldn’t even lift her head off the pillow. There were days and nights of excruciating pain, nausea and fear. But through it all, she knew that she was living. She was changing for the better, and inspiring others to do the same.

There are three things that Sarah wanted her friends, family and sisters to know when she finally left us. First, she was now OK. God had her. Second, you can do what you think is impossible. And third, the love of family and friends is everything.

A celebration of Sarah’s life and her final victory will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday at Cathedral Oaks in Belton. The Rev. Dave Coma, Sarah’s friend and chaplain at Seton Medical Center Williamson, will officiate.

A private graveside service for Sarah’s family, with the Rev. Darren Walker, pastor of First United Methodist Church Belton officiating, will take place at North Belton Cemetery.

Sarah documented her experience fighting cancer in her journal, and there were three entries that stood out to her family.

From now on, don’t let anyone trouble me with these things. For I bear on my body the scars that show I belong to Jesus. – Galatians 6:17

I can be changed by what has happened to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it – Maya Angelou

One day she finally grasped that unexpected things were always going to happen in life. And with that she realized the only control she had was how she chose to handle them. So, she made the decision to survive using courage, humor and grace. She was the queen of her own life and the choice was hers. – unknown

Sarah Kaitlin Tindell was born May 2, 1991, at Round Rock Hospital. She was the first-born daughter of Alan and Kristi Tindell. She was adored and is survived by two younger sisters: Regan Tindell, 23, of Denton and Bailey Tindell, 15, of Belton. She is also loved and survived by her grandparents, Ben Kirkland of Granbury, and Everett and Patsy Tindell of Waco; and great-grandmother Faye Kirkland of Bowie. Sarah has an abundance of aunts, uncles and cousins whom she precedes in death. She was, and is, cherished, and will be missed by so many.

Among the many loved ones who have gone to heaven and have now welcomed Sarah are her grandmother Pam Kirkland, cousin Laura Manna and best friend Stephen Wright.

These are the final words that Sarah Kaitlin Tindell wrote to her family:

“If you’re reading this it means I finally won the battle against cancer. I beat it, and it can no longer get to me where I am.”