Friends and family gathered to celebrate Kailia’s life and memory in her hometown of Lynden, Washington.

Toddlers & Tiaras star’s brothers took the podium to share fond memories of the late star at her emotional memorial service[/caption]

Kailia’s brother Jaylan Kai broke down into tears as he shared his last moments with his sister[/caption]
Kailia’s brother, Jaylan Kai took the podium to share some sweet memories of their late sister.
Amid cracking jokes about fond memories of his younger sister, Kai broke down into tears before sharing his final moments with Kailia.
Kai shared he was up late doing laundry when he didn’t see Kailia behind him.
He jumped and saw she had grabbed a drink and a snack before heading back upstairs to bed.
Read More on Kailia Posey
Kai said he remembers telling the late star that he loved her in his final moments he shared with her.
Kailia’s cousin, pageant coach, pastor, and other friends and family members also took the podium to share their happy memories of Kailia as well.
‘SWEET GIRL’
Friends, family, and fans poured into the comments of the live stream of the teen pageant star’s funeral.
Most read in TV
One wrote: “RIP, Kailia.”
A second shared: “Never had the pleasure of meeting Kailia in person, but I followed her since her Toddlers and Tiaras days.”
They continued: “Her smile and personality were infectious and she will be greatly missed and we’re sending love and prayers to all the friends and family.”
A third posted: “Thank you Marcy for sharing your sweet girl with so many of us. You’re forever in our hearts and prayers.”
DEVASTATING LOSS
The 16-year-old beauty queen was pronounced dead in Birch Bay State Park, Washington, on May 2, 2022.
The teen beauty queen hanged herself at the state park where her body was found just a short distance from her family home.
Whatcom County Medical Examiner told The Sun the cause of death was hanging and confirmed it was a suicide.
Her mother, Marcy Posey Gatterman, confirmed her daughter’s death in an emotional Facebook post.
She asked for privacy for the family to mourn her death and added: “My baby forever.”
In a later statement, her family told TMZ that the teen took her own life.
Her family reportedly told the outlet: “Although she was an accomplished teenager with a bright future ahead of her, unfortunately in one impetuous moment, she made the rash decision to end her earthly life.”
Kailia’s family has set up Kailia Posey Teen Crisis Intervention Fund with the goal of getting “much-needed resources to students in crisis.”
REALITY STAR
Kailia is known for starring in the reality show Toddlers & Tiaras and her mom, Marcy, trained her to be a contortionist as part of her talent.
In a clip from the show posted on YouTube, Marcy said: “When Kailia was younger, when she was three, she started doing pageants.
“She’s a pro when she hits that stage, she’ll say she’s nervous but once she hits that stage she’s a pro.
“She’s gonna beat you, every time.”
She continued: “Kailia has a very good talent.
“I mean, just completely amazing. I don’t know anybody that’s competition for Kailia.”
Kailia continued to compete in pageants as she got older and has also performed with Cirque du Soleil.
While she largely focused on her future in pageantry, the teen also ventured off into acting, playing Agnes in the Netflix horror movie Eli in 2018.
KAILIA’S LAST POSTS
Kailia attended her school’s prom just days before her death, according to Facebook posts from her family.
Her step-father, Steve Gatterman shared pictures of Kailia’s prom on April 30.
He uploaded a gallery of images showing a beaming Posey standing alongside her step-brother Dane.
Kailia wore a champagne-colored gown and posed for photos with friends.
The post was captioned: “Prom night for Kailia and Dane. A good-looking group!”
Her step-father is a football coach in the Lynden School District where Kailia attended school and was looking forward to the upcoming season following the news that Kailia was selected to the cheerleading team.
He shared on Facebook: “Dane will be on the field and Kailia will be performing on the sideline. It’s going to be a great season!”
On April 20, Kailia took to her Instagram to celebrate her milestone birthday.
In a gallery post, she shared photos with friends and her family alongside some birthday-themed emojis and hashtags such as: #birthdaygirl #bestfriend #fundays #dinner #washington and #feelinggood.
Read More On The Sun
Kailia’s friends took to the comment section to wish her a happy birthday.
One Instagram user wrote: “Super sweet sixteen Kai.”
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) or text Crisis Text Line at 741741.
You’re not alone
SUICIDE is the 10th leading cause of death in the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Leading Causes of Death Report from 2018.
For people ages 10 and 34, suicide was the “second leading cause of death” and the fourth for individuals ages 35 to 54.
Suicide is a vital health concern in the U.S. It affects all genders, races and ages.
This is why The-Sun.com launched the You’re Not Alone campaign.
The campaign calls on readers to discuss their mental health issues with their family, friends and health professionals. We can all pitch in to help out others who may be suffering and help save lives.
If you are struggling to cope, you are not alone. There are many free and confidential programs in the US aimed to help those who are struggling with their mental health.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health problems, these organizations are here to provide support:
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org, 1-800-273-TALK
- Crisis Text Line, www.crisistextline.org, Text HOME to 741741
- Veterans Crisis Hotline, www.veteranscrisisline.net, 1-800-273-8255
- Trevor Project, www.thetrevorproject.org, 1-866-488-7386

Kai shared he remembered telling his little sister he loved her before she went to bed[/caption]

Many other friends, family, and pageant coaches shared happy memories of the late teen talent[/caption]

The Toddlers and Tiaras star was pronounced dead and was confirmed as a suicide in a nearby park on May 2, 2022[/caption]
We pay for your stories!
Do you have a story for The US Sun team?