Cadence “Cady” Journey Pierce, 20, of Paden City, WV went to Heaven on Tuesday, January 31, 2017 while at Ruby Memorial Hospital.

Cady was born June 15, 1996 in Glen Dale, WV, daughter of Jay T. Pierce and Leslie (Hancock) (Derek) Vess.

She was a student at Magnolia High School, she loved playing tag and letting people know they were “it”, shopping and her bling and she attended Trinity Presbyterian Church in New Martinsville, WV.

Born with a rare metabolic disease (Propionic Acidemia) she was the first and only child born in West Virginia to have been diagnosed and survive with the disease. In 2007 she was instrumental in getting newborn screenings expanded from six diseases to twenty-nine, so more babies could be saved. In 2010 Cady was granted a Make-A-Wish to fly to California to see Miley Cyrus in concert as a part of the first World Make-A-Wish Day. In 2012 she was the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Champion Child for the state of West Virginia, nominated through WVU Children’s Hospital in Morgantown where she received most of her treatments since birth.

Although a freshman at Magnolia High School she was voted the sophomore class’ Home Coming Princess. In the spring of 2016 she was voted Magnolia Prom Queen and in May graduated with honors from Magnolia High School.

Over the years Cady had many events of serious and critical illnesses all ending in miraculous recovery, her journey served to give other rare children with this disease hope for their own future. At Cady’s passing her liver was harvested for research for rare diseases by the NIH at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C., so her legacy of helping others will continue.

She was preceded in death by her paternal grandparents, Delbert and Eva Faye Pierce.

Surviving in addition to her parents are two brothers, “DJ” Pierce of Paden City, WV and Casey Vess of Lenoir, NC; two sisters, Cierra (Kyle) Wilcox and Cidney Vess both of Lenoir, NC; three uncles, Steve (Janie) Pierce, Monty Pierce and Joe Hancock; maternal grandparents, Lester and Abby Hancock of Belle, WV.

Friends received noon- 4 p.m., Saturday, February 4, 2017 at Magnolia High School, 601 Maple Ave., New Martinsville. A second visitation will be held noon until time of service at 1:00 p.m., Sunday, February 5, 2017 at the Fidler & Frame Funeral Home, 1126 E Dupont Ave., Belle, WV.

Interment to follow in the Kanawha Valley Memorial Gardens in Glasgow, WV.

The family asks that memorial contributions be made, in Cady’s name, to Propionic Acidemia Foundation, 1963 McCraren Rd, Highland Park, IL 60035 or by using the website www.pafoundation.com or WVU Children’s Hospital at www.wvumedicine.org/childrens.

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