Kaitlyn McFadden

Kaitlyn Ann McFadden, 12, passed away at 3:03 pm on Saturday, December 9, 2023 at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, OH. She had recently undergone open heart surgery on Friday, December 1. Kaitlyn was born premature at 28 weeks and 2 lbs. 2 oz. on September 11, 2011. Kaitlyn was a sixth grader at Perry Middle School and she attended elementary school at Slate Hill Elementary in Worthington. She was just getting started with her time at Perry but she still made a lasting impact. Her six years at Slate Hill were amazing. Despite having complex medical conditions and using a wheelchair, she lived life to the fullest and convinced her parents, teachers and therapists to do a lot more activities than they ever imagined. At Slate Hill, she was Star Student of the Month (at least twice) and she received an award for most improved score on a standardized science test in 4th grade. She played Miracle League baseball for the Yankees. She loved watching OSU football and golf with Daddy and stories and cuddling with Mommy. Each year, she looked forward to Easter egg hunts and decorating eggs and carving pumpkins and trick or treating and she especially looked forward to decorating the Christmas tree and making sure Daddy’s Christmas light display worked properly and she loved making sugar cookies with her parents. She also loved spending time with her best pal, Mama and Papa’s dog, Bogey. She was very competitive and loved playing match game with her grandparents, Wild Kratts with her Mommy and Connect Four with Daddy. She enjoyed helping Daddy make Mickey pancakes and Mickey waffles on the weekend. She loved helping Daddy build block towers higher than his head and then knocking them down and starting again. She also enjoyed singing karaoke with her cousin Paisley on Mama’s phone and hanging out with her cousin Isaiah. Kaitlyn loved her aunts and uncles and cousins and wanted to be around them as much as possible and to her, their pets were hers too and brought her great joy. She loved looking for geese and other animals while going to and from school with Mommy.

She adored seeing the cows and horses at the OSU farm. Trips to Lowe’s meant taking pictures of ceiling fans and seasonal decorations and a trip to the mall or Cabela’s meant taking pictures of the animal statues. Her favorite road trip was Wally’s Pizza and Kennedy’s Bakery in Cambridge, OH, complete with a stop at Rite Aid. She enjoyed taking pictures in Cambridge as much as eating the icing and tasting the pizza.

Throughout her life, Kaitlyn enjoyed meeting Brutus Buckeye, Mickey and Minnie, the Energizer Bunny, Flynn Ryder and Rapunzel, Anna and Kristoff and Elsa and Olaf and many other characters and mascots at too many places to mention.

Kaitlyn was a friend to everyone and she always lit up the room with her smile. Her zest for life was magical. Kaitlyn enjoyed flying her kite, going as fast as someone could push in her wheelchair, ziplines in the school gym or spinning in a swing while blowing bubbles.

Kaitlyn was the most precious daughter in the world and perfect in every way. She told us every day that we were the best Mommy and Daddy in the world and we told her, she was the best daughter in the world.

Kaitlyn is survived by her parents, Jonathan and Jamie McFadden of Worthington, OH. She is also survived by her grandparents Mama and Papa (Lois and Art) Sanders of Delaware, OH and Grandpa and Grandma (Bruce and Betsy) McFadden of New Holland, OH. In addition, Kaitlyn is survived by aunts, uncles and cousins including Chris, Jessica, Isaiah and Paisley Winiecki of Delaware, OH and Pastor Matt, Andrea, Zachary, Hannah and Sarah Nichols of Cloverdale, IN.

Kaitlyn was especially close with her school aide, Mrs. Rubin and elementary intervention specialist, Mrs. Pride and elementary gym teacher, Mr. Pound and elementary custodian, Mr. Berry.

We would like to thank everyone who has ever cared for and supported Kaitlyn at Nationwide Children’s especially the nephrology and dialysis, cardiology, complex care, cp clinic and hematology and immunology, physical, speech and occupational therapy and NICU teams. We would also like to thank her dentist, Dr. Monica, at Olentangy Pediatric Dentistry and her hairdresser, Sharyl at Great Clips.

In lieu of flowers, family ask that you make a donation to something that was dear to Kaitlyn, Miracle League of Central Ohio or A Kid Again Central Ohio:

https://www.paypal.com/donate?token=pTRsCRWGezwwX6Al9CKFtHPln9NYv1-oj8jD12mJMY8Nxgvi-Kgv3DB4qGFyL8FCDCBIKdPbjy4z2cjD /

https://akidagain.org/give2023/

Family will receive friends Monday December 18, 2023, from 4-7PM at SCHOEDINGER WORTHINGTON FUNERAL HOME, 6699 N. High Street, with a funeral service the following day, December 18, 2023, with burial at Flint Cemetery. Please share a memory or send condolences to Kaitlyn’s family.