A cancer-stricken six-year-old girl from Arizona, who had just received her final bout of chemotherapy, tragically died after she came down with another, unrelated sickness.
Lola Zimmer, 6, died from a fungal infection on March 4, five months after she was diagnosed with Leukemia.
Her long battle with illness began on October 31, 2024, when she went trick-or-treating with parents, Alyssa Aguilar and Drew Zimmer, and little sister, Pheobe.
Shortly after leaving their her home in Flagstaff for an evening of when when the young girl ‘collapsed.’
‘We were heading out the door to go trick-or-treating and she collapsed,’ her father, Drew Zimmer, told KPHO.
The worry-riddled parents then took their daughter to a nearby emergency room before she was ‘airlifted’ to Phoenix Children’s Hospital for further treatment.
Within 24 hours of arriving at the children’s hospital – 150 miles from their home – Lola started on her first round of chemotherapy, a post shared by Lola’s grandmother, Salina Aguilar, on Facebook reads.
Several months later, on February 24, the Kindergarten student completed her second, and final, round of chemotherapy – ‘the consolidation phase,’ as her grandmother called it.
‘For all we know, she was cancer free after finishing this second round,’ she wrote.
Lola Zimmer, 6, died from a fungal infection on March 4, five months after she was dianosed with Leukemia
On October 31, 2024, Lola, along with her parents, Alyssa Aguilar (pictured) and Drew Zimmer, and little sister, Pheobe, left her home in Flagstaff for an evening of trick-or-treating when when the young girl ‘collapsed’
However, when Lola’s cancer was finally ready to be re-examined her doctors delivered the devastating news.
‘She was about to have her bone marrow cells re-tested for cancer cells but tragically unbeknownst to us and the doctors, she had contracted a deadly fungal infection that spread rapidly,’ Salina said.
Just a day after the doctor’s harrowing discovery, Zimmer said Lola’s heart stopped and she was no longer able to breathe on her own.
‘Seeing your daughter on life support unresponsive is really hard, and then having the doctors tell you that the fungal infection she has is untreatable, and having to say goodbye, it’s traumatic,’ the distraught father said.
Only a few days later, the heart-broken family was told their little girl ‘wasn’t going to make it.’
‘We were told she wasn’t going to make it and to call all of our family to say our final goodbyes to our sweet, precious Lola girl,’ her grandmother said.
Aguilar suspected the chemo destroyed her daughter’s immune system.
‘I get frustrated and angry that she could have beat cancer, but she couldn’t have beat a fungal infection,’ Aguilar said.
As they process the loss, Zimmer and Aguilar have found a new meaning in butterflies and cherries. Both became symbols of hope connected to Lola and now embody the ‘fragility of life.’
‘Cherish every moment and tell people you love them,’ Zimmer said.
‘Tell your children you love them and kiss them goodnight,’ Aguilar added.
The worry-riddled parents then took their daughter to a nearby emergency room before she was ‘airlifted’ to Phoenix Children’s Hospital for further treatment. Pictured: Lola and her parents, Alyssa Aguilar and Drew Zimmer, and her little sister, Pheobe
Several months later, on February 24, the Kindergarten student completed her second, and final, round of chemothreapy – ‘the consolidation phase,’ as her grandmother called it
However, when Lola’s cancer was finally ready to be re-examined her doctors delivered the devastating news – she had contracted a deadly fungal infection. Pictured: Lola and her younger sister Pheobe
Aguilar’s brother, AJ Torres, has since created a GoFundMe fundraiser to help ‘support’ and ‘ease some of the weight’ the grieving family now has to bear.
Lola’s uncle described his niece as a ‘powerhouse, an excellent big sister to Phoebe, and an irreplaceable best friend to my son, Myles.’
‘She loves animals, playing outside, music, dancing, and sometimes defying authority. She is a force, a precious gift to everyone that knows and loves her,’ he added on the fundraising page.
As of Sunday morning they had raised $15,659 of their $25,000 goal.
