By Lia Bichel
A YOUNG Berwick girl who died two months ago was remembered at a birthday celebration last week.
It was an emotional day for friends and family of Grace Ella Margaret as they gathered at Erdington Park Childcare Centre to celebrate her third birthday.
Grace was two years and 10 months old when she died from unknown causes on 22 September.
Her father Justin Toplis said he believed she died from a febrile convulsion, a fit that occurs in children when they have a high fever.
Mr Toplis said he and his wife Allie were overwhelmed by the support of friends, family, colleagues and staff and the crèche.
Kirsty Barnett from the childcare centre emailed Fox FM, who donated $2000 which was used to buy a brass plaque for a memorial garden, used to buy a star in Grace’s name and used for party treats.
“It’s overwhelming how many lives she has touched in her short time on earth,” Mr Toplis said.
Director of Erdington Park Childcare Centre Jackie Murphy said she was pleased the Toplis family allowed the children and their families to celebrate Grace’s birthday on a huge scale.
“It could have been a real personal event, but they were very generous,” she said.
“Grace was always energetic, sociable and vibrant – the kind of girl who would have loved a big party. She had such a presence in the room, and it was really hard when that presence was gone.”
Mr Toplis remembered Grace as a “happy, beautiful, polite” girl who loved to dance with her daddy, play with her five-year-old brother Noah, and help out her mother.
“She would clean dishes, use her toy vacuum and dust. She was such a maternal girl,” he said.
“She had a little stroller and a porta-cot, and she took her dolly everywhere.”
Mr Toplis said Grace had so many friends at Edrington Park Childcare Centre, including a boyfriend. He was appreciative to the staff for the support they had shown and for loving her like a family.
“You pay them to look after your children, not to love them. But they did,” he said.
“I am so glad my last words to her were ‘I love you’.”
This is not the first time tragedy has struck Mr Toplis, who was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2003. The tumour was removed, but has since returned.
“My advice to parents would be to always tell your child you love them,” he said.
“You never know what’s going to happen.”
