Teresa Bartlinski, 6, of Catonsville, died Monday at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia after doctors attempted to implant an artificial heart in her chest, according to the Baltimore Sun.
"At 3:23 pm on July 1, Teresa has ridden her princess bike into Heaven to meet Jesus. She had her ears pierced shortly before her last breath," her family wrote Monday on her blog Our Place Called Home. "While we were not there when she took her first breath, God blessed us to be there when she took her last."
Bartlinski's body rejected her first heart transplant in June, and she had been on life support.
The artificial heart had been intended to keep Teresa alive until a second donor heart became available, according to the Sun.
Ed Bartlinski told the Sun that the ultimate lesson his daughter taught him was "love. Unconditional love."
Teresa's parents, Ann and Ed Bartilinski of Catonsville, adopted her from China in July 2010, according to the family's blog. The family has four other adopted daughters and four biological children.
"Teresa's condition was the most severe of all the Bartlinskis' adopted children," the Sun states.
Ed Bartlinski told the paper that the procedure to attach the artificial heart failed because doctors weren't able to properly fit tubes from the device to circulate blood to her damaged lungs.
"Teresa's lungs are very messy inside with a lot of fluid surrounding them. Please help us pray for this today. This will make it very hard for her to survive tomorrow's Berlin heart procedure," the family wrote on Sunday, June 30.
Both community members and people from around the world have posted in a Facebook group called "Pray for Teresa B", offering support and prayers.
Wendy Hoff posted: "What if we all gather in our different parts of the world and at a predetermined time, we release balloons that have our wishes for Teresa? Is anyone interested in doing this? Let me know. I will coordinate it. Can you imagine 5000+ balloons released around the world? Pretty profound and it would definitely reach Teresa."
Hoff's post has received 150 likes, as of writing.
Catonsville resident Michelle Riffer said that attendees to Thursday's Fourth of July parade along Frederick Road are encouraged to wear tiaras in honor of Teresa.
Visitation and funeral arrangements have not been set, the Sun reports, although the family wrote in its blog that funeral information would be posted Tuesday.
"Thank you for all being a part of Teresa's miracle. She has her new heart and is in Jesus arms," the family posted on Monday night. "We never wanted Teresa to die alone an orphan and she didn't. She was surrounded by everyone that loved her."
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