A 13-year-old girl who had recently beaten cancer tragically passed away in a fire at her home caused by a firework on the evening of July 4.
Jerilynn Brown had rung the bells in the Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City just two weeks prior in celebration of the end of her two-year battle with osteosarcoma. It’s a type of bone cancer.
Courtesy Stephen Miller
However, in the early hours of July 4th, fireworks’ smoldering ash caught fire in front of her family’s house located in Independence, Missouri, setting the house on fire around 5:30 AM.
“It was a breezy night,” Independence Fire Chief Jimmy Walker told KHSB, explaining how the wind helped fan the flames over the course of the night.
It can take hours before the fire is burning … There is no way to know how long. will always need to be concerned about burning fires that are smoldering and the fact that they may remain unnoticed for a long period of hours and then be out of control in a matter of minutes.
Walker said there weren’t any working smoke detectors in the house when the fire started.
It’s heartbreaking to see a girl who beat cancer see it come to an end like this. I’m referring to everyone in our family, and our hearts are broken, and we’re all sad about this too, Walker told Fox 4.
It can take hours before the fire is burning, and this could happen anytime lightning strikes. We always need to be concerned about smoldering fires and also the fact that they may go unnoticed for hours before they get rapidly out of control.
Officials from the fire department reported that the fire began at the decking in front of the property after “embers” from fireworks ignited the area.
Jerilynn’s father, Jerry Brown, confirmed she was home when she returned after she rang the bell to signal the final day of the course of treatment.
“She just rang the bell,” the man told the KMBC. The bell rang, and then just a month later we’re here, speaking about my little girl. My mom just took me to church. I quit drinking 17 months ago. Everything is due to her.
To the Jackson County Community, I am heartbroken by the tragic loss of 13 year old Jerilynn Brown—a young girl whose…
Posted by Justice Horn for Jackson County on Sunday, July 6, 2025
The fire tragically killed the 52-year-old Marc Anthony Young Sr., who d!ed on Sunday, having fought against de@th for more than three days, as per the son of Marc Anthony Young, Marc Anthony Young Jr.
Jerilynn’s mother, Liz Stephens, remains in the hospital “fighting for her life” due to burns that are severe, the husband of Jerilynn, Stephen Miller, confirmed.
The GoFundMe page was created to assist Jerilynn’s family to rebuild their home as well as pay funeral expenses and the immense pain the family is suffering.
In the early hours of July 4, tragedy struck both Jerry Brown and Liz Stephens in a way that was unimaginable as the story on the page reads.
The tragedy is continuing: A devastating home burning destroyed their house and took everything they owned, and most terribly, their 13-year-old daughter, Jerrilynn Brown.
Jerrilynn was a radiant, beautiful, courageous, and brave soul who had recently overcome the long-running battle with cancer just two weeks earlier. Her determination and courage were a blessing to all who were around her. Her de@th at such a moment, after everything she endured, is heartbreaking.
The fundraising continued. The cause was not just losing their precious daughter and their home; Liz is currently in the hospital struggling for her own life because of burns sustained during the fire. While Jerry remains close by, the couple is enduring tense anxiety and grief.
We’re fundraising to pay for the expenses of Jerrilynn’s funeral. It will also help Liz with her ongoing medical treatment and aid Jerry as well as Liz in reestablishing their lives by repurposing clothing, personal items, and other necessities, which were all destroyed in the fire.
There is no way to ease the pain; however, your help by way of donations, shares, or a quick prayer could bring a little bit of light in the darkness for this grieving family. Consider helping by any means you can. Every dollar and word is a blessing today. Thanks for the support and love.