Edyn Grace Walterhouse

Edyn Grace Claudia Walterhouse, 13, thoroughly believed in Jesus’ promise in John 14:3- “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” On May 28, 2021, she experienced that promise first-hand as she entered into His eternal presence.

“Claudia”, as she was known in her native country of Peru, was born premature and very ill. The best information her family had was that she spent the first three months of her life in the hospital. Years later, in addition to congenital deafness, genetic testing would confirm Cerebral Ataxia as her most challenging medical obstacle. She moved from her initial orphanage placement to the one that loved on and cared for her until her forever family adopted her on December 5, 2013. However, her journey to become a Walterhouse began three years prior, unbeknownst to her. She joined a family who was well acquainted with the Deaf community and already used Sign Language in the home.

Two weeks after arriving back in the US, they moved to Little Rock, AR where she was enrolled in the Arkansas School for the Deaf. Amidst ongoing health challenges and the progression of Ataxia, she continued to attend school and share her infectious smile, sense of humor and spunkiness with anyone and everyone. On Sundays, she was seen rolling through the halls of Fellowship Bible Church, where her family attends and where the Special Needs staff loved her and her family well.

Edyn Grace has many friends who are like family both in Peru, and throughout the US. She is survived by her father; Jonathan, mother; Michelle, and brothers: Jaiden “JP” & Levi. Additionally, she is survived by her grandparents; James & Deborah Walterhouse (Big Spring, TX), grandparents; Kelvin & Penny Klaas (Meadville, PA), grandparents; David & Karen Cyphert (Blairsville, PA), great-grandparents; Harold & Rosemary Walterhouse (Orlando, FL); great-grandmother; Genova Carlton (Forsyth, GA), uncles, aunts, cousins and a host of friends.

To know Edyn Grace was to know true joy. She was always ready to share a smile and to talk of her favorite Disney princesses and dolls, watch a Florida Gators game (and do the Chomp!) or to administer a beat down in several rounds of UNO. In March of 2020, the ataxia began to take its toll in more significant ways, forcing her to move from being mobile in her wheelchair to being limited between her room and the living room as she had to be connected to an Airvo machine due to breathing complications. Additionally, her throat muscles became so weak that even eating became a choking hazard. She began to receive in home nursing care and continued to enjoy life as best she could. As her parents and so many others prayed she would not suffer, comments from Edyn Grace about going to heaven ‘one day’ began to be conversations about going to Heaven soon. Edyn Grace began to emphatically let her family, nurses and doctors know how she longed for Heaven. Over the past few weeks she began to indicate that she was so ready to go to Heaven to run, play, eat (and do her own laundry!), that she asked to have treatments stopped. Her joy in life, and resolute faith has inspired many and this did not waiver in her final days.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Make-a-Wish Mid-South, 320 Executive Court, Suite 101, Little Rock, AR 72205 or Tim Tebow Foundation, www.support.timtebowfoundation.org.

Visitation will be held 5:00 – 7:00 pm Tuesday, June 1, 2021, at Fellowship Bible Church, WLR Campus, 1401 Kirk Road, Little Rock, AR 72223.  A Celebration of Life will be held 10:00 am Wednesday, June 2, 2021, at the church.  Link to service (copy and paste into browser):  http://fbcar.org/wlr