Life can be both beautiful and painfully unfair. At just 18 years old and 17 weeks pregnant, Brianna Rawlings was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive blood cancer — NK cell leukemia. Her early symptoms were mistaken as pregnancy-related.

Faced with an impossible choice, Brianna chose not to start treatment in order to give her unborn baby a chance at life. Sadly, after contracting a blood infection, doctors performed an emergency C-section. Her son Kyden was born three months early and passed away after just 12 days.

Brianna treasured every moment with him, calling those days the best of her life. Though she fought hard to survive, her health worsened. A bone marrow transplant was canceled, and a costly trial drug was tried — but after only two treatments, the cancer claimed her life on December 29, 2018, shortly after her 19th birthday.

Her story is one of unimaginable love, sacrifice, and courage. Brianna fought for her baby and inspired many with her strength.