kailee bridges

This giant American flag was flown on Main Street in Batavia this morning, made possible by fire truck ladders, in honor of 20-year-old Kailee Bridges, a local Marine who died last week of cancer.

Her funeral procession -- including 4-month-old daughter, Lilly, and Marine husband, Justin -- went under the flag to Grandview Cemetery on Clinton Street Road.

Photos submitted by a reader.

Four-month-old Lilly Bridges will not be in her mother’s arms on Sunday. Cancer-stricken Kailee died last night in the intensive care unit at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester.

On Mother’s Day, the 20-year-old Marine’s family, including husband, Justin, will instead mourn the woman who valiantly underwent life-saving surgery in February while pregnant.

But the concert for Lilly’s Trust Fund scheduled for this Friday at Grace Baptist Church in Batavia will go on as planned with Christian music superstar Bebo Norman, of Nashville. The performance begins at 7 p.m. Tickets are $30 and $25 and are available through itickets.com.

Although her doctors and loved ones hoped to have her home by this weekend, about 10 days ago she took a turn for the worse, said her pastor, Mark Hurlbut.

“We’re glad God gave her husband and myself the grace and wisdom to provide for (Lilly),” Hurlbut said, regarding the series of events and decisions that unfolded to bring about the plans for a benefit concert well in advance of Kailee’s downturn.

In the Providence of God, here we are,” he said.

The recording artist has been kept in the loop all along the way, Hurlbut said, describing him as a terrific man of God who “will be asked to wear his preacher’s hat” on Friday.

Kailee, who was from Wyoming County and graduated from Warsaw High School, had been in ICU since her surgery and her young Marine husband had practically lived there over the past few months. In light of the circumstances, the Texas native is holding up.

“If the Marine Corps didn’t make him grow up, this will,” the pastor said. “It’s a lot for a young man to go through, but he is shouldering it well.”

Little Lilly is healthy and adorable.

Those who knew her mother say she had a personal relationship with her Lord and Savior and they know where she is today and that she has no more pain.

H.E. Turner & Co. Funeral Home is handling arrangements for the family.

Kailee Bridges is fighting for her life right now with a rare bone cancer. She is a 20-year-old Marine, with a newborn daughter named Lilly, and a husband, Justin, who is also a Marine.

To help this Batavia family, major Christian recording artist and Dove Award winner Bebo Norman, who lives in Nashville, has graciously agreed to perform a benefit concert called "Love for Lilly: A Concert for Hope." It's this Friday evening, May 10, at Grace Baptist Church, Batavia, located at 238 Vine St.

Tickets are $30 and $25. Monetary donations are also welcome and the church has set up an account for them called the Lilly Trust Fund.

The concert will undoubtedly draw a packed house of people from Canada to Connecticut to help raise funds for Kailee and her family.

To get tickets, go online to itickets.com

Kailee was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer known as osteosarcoma during her pregnancy. It was found in her pelvis and she was not expected to live. She had emergency, high-risk surgery in an effort to save her life. She pulled through, and so did Lilly, who was subjected to chemo in the womb.

But their ordeal is not over. Her cancer has metastasized and she faces more battles with it.