For Susie O’Mahoney, the pain of losing her daughter never goes away.
Twelve years after Kelly O’Mahony died from a rare form of brain cancer, Susie still feels the weight of her absence every day.
“I miss being able to pick up the phone and talk to her,” Susie said through tears. “It’s really hard. I have three other kids. They miss her too.”
Kelly was 21 years old when she died in 2014. Before her diagnosis, her mother describes her as a healthy, vibrant young woman — athletic, full of life, and with a bright future ahead.
But in 2013, Kelly was diagnosed with a rare type of brain cancer. She underwent two surgeries, radiation, and chemotherapy, fighting the disease until the end.
“She was a fighter,” Susie said. “She fought to the last minute. We all fought with her to the last minute.”
While Kelly’s life was cut short, her fight continues.
After her death, the O’Mahony family and the community created Kelly Kicking Cancer to raise money for brain cancer research and help give hope to other families facing the disease.
The organization’s annual gala has grown into a major fundraiser, using a talent-show format to bring people together while supporting cancer research.
Susie says seeing the impact of Kelly’s legacy has been one of the greatest sources of comfort.
“After she died, she’s helped so many people and given people hope and courage,” Susie said.
But even as Susie worked to honor her daughter’s memory, she faced another devastating loss. In 2019, her husband died from a pulmonary embolism while visiting Kelly’s gravesite.
Through years of grief, Susie says she has found strength in helping others and recognizing the moments of hope that have come from unimaginable pain.
She says she once prayed for a miracle that would save Kelly’s life — but the answer came in a way she never expected.
“We just thought God was going to give us a miracle, and we just went forward with that up until the minute she wasn’t breathing,” Susie said. “I kept thinking, ‘God can make a miracle happen right now.’”
Now, she believes the miracles came differently.
“There’s a lot of little miracles all adding up,” Susie said. “It’s not the one I wanted, but we’ve gotten a lot more.”
The 2026 Who’s got Talent Gala is on Saturday, September 19th at the Covington Country Club.
Doors open at 6:30pm. For more information on how you can help the cause click here.
READ MORE:Northshore woman’s death inspires annual brain cancer fundraiser
