Remembering 10-year-old Avrey Walker

“She knew that it only takes a few minutes, it only feels like a few minutes in heaven for your family to join you. And so I hope she’s up there having fun, and we’ll be there in a few minutes bud, we’ll be there in a few minutes,” Avrey Walker’s dad, Aaron, said Wednesday.

A little girl loved by so many, taken far too soon, after a six-year battle with leukemia.

“Avery Walker was a just, a very high energy, very strong willed, little girl,” Aaron said.

It was that personality that generated support from thousands during her battle.

“People have been behind us, fighting by our side the entire time,” said Aaron. “Not one time has there been a lapse in coverage of people joining with us and fighting with us.”

When we last talked to Avrey back in April, you could tell she knew she was loved.

“All my family at home and all my other friends have been doing a whole bunch of benefits and stuff like that, and I want to tell them thank you,” Avrey said at the time.

Throughout her fight, support came not only from friends, family and community members but celebrity crushes as well.

“Hey Avrey, it’s Justin here. I just want to say I hope you have a very Merry Christmas. Happy Holidays. Be blessed, and I’m sending you all my love,” Justin Bieber said in a video message sent to Avrey last year.

Despite the difficult times, the outgoing animal-lover lived her life to the fullest.

Her family spared no expense making sure whatever time she had left was filled with love and happiness.

“(We) rafted every river in Oregon, we went to a Sixers game, we went to a Trail Blazers game, we went to Disneyland, Disney World, Mexico — we just did everything single thing we could possibly do,” said Aaron.

Now it’s those memories that keep Avery alive.

“I remember a story where we were camping on the John Day River, and here she comes in the camp with a big bull snake — ‘Look what I got everybody!’ And the ladies in the camp are falling over their chairs trying to get out of camp,” Aaron recalled. “So she was just never afraid to pick up a big snake or a big lizard, and she really, really enjoyed animals a lot.”

Survived now by Aaron, her mother Christal and sister Maddy.

The family has lost a fighter, but gained an angel.

“Overall, though, she was a very fun, very funny, outgoing little girl who loved life — she loved life,” said Aaron.

A memorial service will be held for Avrey at Redmond High School on Saturday, November 9th at 3:30 p.m. All are welcome to attend.

The Bend Fire Pipe and Drums will play to honor Avrey.

At the end of the ceremony, everyone is welcome to join Avrey’s family in sending healing messages on balloons into the sky.