‘I still need her’: Parents mourn brain-eating amoeba victim

THOMSON, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - The Thomson community is continuing to mourn the loss of 17-year-old Megan Ebenroth.

Ebenroth was a top student and had plans to attend the University of Georgia and eventually pharmacy school.

Her biggest ers and the ones who loved her more than anything — her parents.

“When they put her in my arms when she was born, I knew my life would never be the same,” said Chrissy Ebenroth, Megan’s mom. “And as she took her last breath, I knew my life would never be the same.”

The hardest realization is knowing she’ll never hold her baby again.

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“A lot of parents don’t get to feel their babies’ last heartbeat,” Chrissy said. “They don’t get to cuddle with their child one last time.”

In her daughter’s last moments, Chrissy made a promise.

“Her last day, I promised her that I would do all the things she wanted to do,” Chrissy said.

Chrissy and her husband, Steven, are carrying on their daughter’s name.

“We don’t want people to forget our daughter, and that’s all,” Steven Ebenroth said.

It’s hard to forget someone like Megan.

“She was real. She was authentic. She was goal-oriented,” her mom said.

Her dad said, “Anything that was a goal, like in school, anything to do with her future, she took that as a super, super serious challenge, and she wanted to exceed everyone’s expectations.”

In the eyes of her parents, she exceeded everyone’s expectations.

“I would say thank you, God, for making Megan just for us and no one else,” Chrissy said. “I didn’t deserve her, but I needed her. I still need her.”

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