Carrie and Nick DeKlyen with 3 of their children

Carrie DeKlyen chose to forgo chemotherapy to treat her brain cancer because she was pregnant with her sixth child, and the treatments most certainly would have ended her baby’s life. Carrie died Saturday, surrounded by family at University of Michigan Hospital in Ann Arbor. She chose her baby’s life over her own.

Doctors removed Carrie’s feeding and breathing tubes on Thursday, a day after she gave birth to her daughter, Life Lynn DeKlyen. Life Lynn was born prematurely, but Nick DeKlyen said his daughter is doing better than expected and that she is going to be fine.

The couple have five other kids who range in age from 2 to 18 years old. The father says that the family is strong in their Christian faith. Nick said, “My wife loves the Lord and she loves her children more than anything.”

She proved it, didn’t she?

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”—John 15:13.