In an effort to keep family updated, a journal of Elena’s story was recorded at www.desserich.org. The journal was originally intended only for her younger sister as a way to remember Elena by. Within weeks, thousands of people started to log in to share in the journal. As a response, the family began to withhold certain entries for only her sister.

Elena lost her battle with brain cancer after 9 short months, but 121 days longer than she was expected to survive. After her death, her family began to find a series of notes hidden in bookcases, between dishes and in bags of clothing throughout the house. Many notes were written on hearts and contained the words “I love you Mom, Dad and Gracie”. It is thought that these notes were written for her family to find later. They still find them today.
The Desserich family compiled Elena’s messages into the book “Notes Left Behind“.
Today at LIVESTRONG headquarters we host Keith Desserich, father of Elena and author of the book “Notes Left Behind“. We invite those in the Austin area to join us at 2pm to listen to Mr. Desserich and to check out his book “Notes Left Behind”.
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Loved the book. My daughter gave me a copy after finding a story about this book in an email regarding research she does for my grandaughters condition. After buying the book and reading it and they buying a copy for me for Christmas we are all the more certain that Elena is sending messages to our family as well. My granddaughters name is “Brooke Anne Keith” (note the authors names), she wrote when she was younger so that you had to read it by holding it up to a mirror, Brooke had open heart surger in 2007 the same year as Elena’s diagnosis, they were both flower girls in the summer of 2007 and on Brooke’s Birthday Elena began her first full day as an angel!
We think Elena is our own family’s angel. Thank you for letting us know her.
This book is very inspirational. My grandson, Jacob, was diagnosed with the same tumor as Elena in May 2009. The Notes Left Behind book has helped me to cope with the prognosis, and to help me savor every day with Jacob. Brooke and Keith Desserich are wonderful people. I feel blessed that I have met them. They have offered so much support for me and my family.