The father of a seven year old girl who was tragically shot by her mother alongside her three sisters has shared a heart-wrenching message following her death. Olivia Blackmer battled for her life in intensive care for five days before succumbing to a severe head injury on 15 February.
The horrific incident occurred at their Wyoming home on 10 February when their mother, Tranyelle Harshman, opened fire. Olivia’s nine year old sister Brailey and two year old twin half-sisters Brooke and Jordan were pronounced dead at the scene.
Olivia was rushed to Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah, where she received treatment. Her father, Quinn Blackmer, took to Facebook to share the devastating news of her passing. In his emotional post, he expressed gratitude to “every single person that has donated and prayed and fasted for us and our family and our beautiful Olivia.”
He found solace in the thought that his daughters are now together, adding: “The peace I find is knowing that my babies don’t have to be apart from each other and they can also be with their other sisters”, reports The Mirror.
Katelynn, Olivia’s stepmother, also updated well-wishers, stating that Olivia had “gained her angel wings” as she paid tribute to the young girl. She wrote on a GoFundMe page set up to cover Olivia’s medical costs: “Olivia is with her sisters now. She gained her angel wings yesterday at 3:44pm”.
The post further detailed the agonising struggle: “She fought so so hard up til the last minute! Her body and her brain had been through too much, medication helped but we reached a point where medical options were exhausted and her body only continued to get worse.”
Despite the heartbreaking circumstances, it goes on to say: “She kept fighting through it all though until her heart stopped. We are grateful she hung on as long as she did so we could get some valuable time with our sweet baby girl the last five days. We want to thank each and every one of you for your prayers and support for our family.”
In a touching revelation to KTVQ, Cliff Harshman, who is mourning the loss of his twin daughters Brooke and Jordan, expressed his unimaginable grief, declaring, “something beyond what I can comprehend” and stating that he feels like a “mess”. His frustration was palpable as he said: “I’m so angry. I don’t even know how to explain this to you. I’m so angry with her for the decision that was made.”
In the wake of the tragic event, a new GoFundMe campaign has been launched to aid Cliff with funeral expenses and ongoing support. He gratefully recounted acts of kindness from the community to the outlet: “I was at a hotel that wouldn’t let me pay. I also went to Murdoch’s to buy a change of clothes and was told not to worry about it.”
Following the tragic shooting of the four children, Harshman, who reportedly battled with mental health issues according to Mirror US, dialled 911. She informed the dispatcher of the location where the bodies could be found before attempting to take her own life. When law enforcement arrived at the scene, they discovered Harshman still alive. However, she later died as a result of her injuries in a Billings hospital.
If you feel like you could be affected by depression and need to speak to someone, Samaritans are available 24/7 by calling 116 123 or by emailing jo@samaritans.org.
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