A Georgia girl died before what was supposed to be a routine tonsillectomy — leaving a grieving school community preparing for a first-grade classroom with an empty seat.
Emersyn “Emmy” Bridgers, 6, was scheduled to undergo surgery, but it didn’t go ahead, the Bartow County Coroner’s Office told WSB-TV2.
Coroner Joel Guyton told the outlet that he is awaiting medical records to determine what treatment Emmy received before she died.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is conducting an autopsy.
A GoFundMe campaign described Emmy as “a light in every life she touched” and “such a loving child.”
“She went in for a routine tonsillectomy and her family’s lives were forever changed,” Heather Smith, who organized the GoFundMe, wrote.
Emmy had recently graduated from kindergarten at Euharlee Elementary School and had been eagerly looking forward to starting first grade.
“Emmy was one of a kind, and she will be deeply missed,” the Bartow County School System wrote in an emotional tribute.
Her kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Rose, had a nickname for Emmy — “Little Momma” — a title she earned due to her “care and compassion.”
“Even at such a young age, she had a special way of looking after others, making everyone feel included, and lending a helping hand whenever she could,” the school district said in its tribute.
Emmy had already chosen a special, rose-themed outfit for the school’s Open House.
“In the days before a new school year begins, it is especially difficult to imagine her seat empty and that outfit left unworn,” school officials wrote.
“Please join us in keeping the Bridgers family in your thoughts and prayers during this heartbreaking time.”
Smith revealed on the fundraising page that Emmy’s funeral will take place on Tuesday.
The local funeral home has said it will cover the funeral expenses for the grieving family.
The little girl will be remembered with a motorcycle ride memorial, and mourners will wear pink, her favorite color, in her memory.
“We are so grateful for everything that everyone has come together to do for Emmy,” Smith wrote in an update.
