Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
- Eddie Grampp, 41, died at his Idaho home after a 13-year battle with glioblastoma.
- His wife, Mary, shared emotional tributes, highlighting a reunion with their late daughter.
- Eddie's story, including his animation project in McKaylee's honor, gained global attention.
REXBURG, Idaho — Eddie Grampp's battle with an incurable brain tumor ended Sunday as he died peacefully in his Rexburg home.
"His wonderful parents stood by my side around Eddie as we all marveled in knowing and feeling Eddie is finally free," his wife, Mary Grampp, wrote on Instagram. "We knew all of the dear and wonderful family and friends he was being reunited with!"
Most of all, she wrote, "we knew our sweet McKaylee Belle was with her daddy once again. Oh what a reunion that must have been!"
The world came to know the Grampps weeks ago after EastIdahoNews.com published a story about Eddie Grampp and his wish to have an animated film based on Rumpelstiltskin made in McKaylee's honor.
He worked as an animator for Disney, Nickelodeon and other production companies. In 2015, while the Grampps were living in California, he returned home from work one day and pulled into the underground parking garage of their townhouse complex. He didn't see McKaylee, who had run out to greet him, and hit his 3-year-old daughter. She was rushed to the hospital, where she died.
Four months before McKaylee was born, he was diagnosed with glioblastoma, a highly aggressive brain tumor. The average life expectancy for someone with glioblastoma is 12 to 18 months, according to the Glioblastoma Research Organization, but Eddie Grampp defied the odds.
"It has been almost 13 years of battling the beast of brain cancers, a glioblastoma. But what this beast didn't realize was that Eddie would be its greatest opponent ever!" Mary Grampp said.
After McKaylee's death a decade ago, Eddie Grampp was determined to get an animated film made in her honor. Over the years, he launched a website and met with potential investors and others to help push his Rumpelstiltskin project forward.
In 2023, a Secret Santa heard the Grampps were still driving the van involved in the accident that resulted in the death of their daughter. He asked the EastIdahoNews.com team to surprise the family with an SUV.
Since EastIdahoNews.com posted his story 10 days ago, it's been read by hundreds of thousands of people around the world and several people with ties to the film industry have reached out to the Grampps.
"I'm not quite sure how to do life without him here," Mary Grampp said. "What started out as true and deep friendship turned into the sweetest love we both had ever experienced."
He was 41 and leaves behind two sons and a daughter whose "hearts are breaking (but) are each holding onto the peace they are feeling, trusting and leaning on the sure moments to come throughout their life of feeling their dad close."
"After Eddie passed away and while I laid by his side, I played our songs, pondering so many memories from the last 21 years (our 20-year anniversary is in May) and feeling so grateful that I am a part of the greatest love story ever told," Mary wrote.
Funeral details are being planned and will be announced this week. A GoFundMe* has been created to help the family with expenses.
*KSL.com does not assure that the money deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisors and otherwise proceed at your own risk.
