Boyfriend: Nathan Wittman, 19, holds a photo of his late girlfriend who died of cancer shortly after giving birth to their son who he now has full custody overJenni Lake gave birth to a baby boy the month before her 18th birthday, though she was not destined to become just another teenage mother. That much, she knew.
While being admitted to the hospital, she pulled her nurse down to her at bed level and whispered into her ear.
The nurse would later repeat the girl's words to comfort her family, as their worst fears were realized a day after Jenni's baby was born.
'She told the nurse, "I'm done, I did what I was supposed to. My baby is going to get here safe",' said Diana Phillips, Jenni's mother.
Distraught: Diana Phillips, Jenni Lake's mother, cries while holding her son as she remembers how strong she was throughout her lengthy battle with cancerIn photographs, the baby's ruddy cheeks and healthy weight offer a stark contrast to the frail girl who gave birth to him.
She holds the newborn tightly, kissing the top of his head. Jenni, at five feet and four inches tall, weighed only 108 pounds at the full term of her pregnancy.
A day after the November 9 birth, Mrs Phillips learned that her daughter's decision to forgo treatment for tumors on her brain and spine so she could carry the baby would have fatal repercussions. The cancer had marked too much territory. Nothing could be done, Mrs Phillips said.
Jenni Lake's family: From left, father Mike Lake, sister Kaisee Lake, boyfriend Nathan Wittman, mother Diana Phillip with Jenni's newborn son Chad Michael Lake, and sister Ashley LakeIt was only 12 days past the birth – half spent in the hospital and the other half at home – before Jenni was gone.
Even so, her family and friends insist her legacy is not one centered in tragedy, but rather in sacrifice.
This month, her family gathered at their ranch style home in Pocatello, where a Christmas tree in the living room was adorned with ornaments picked out just for Jenni, including one in bright lime green, her favorite color.
Ultimate sacrifice: Jenni Lake decided against treatment for tumors on her brain and spine so she could carry her baby Chad to full healthShe had passed away in a bedroom down the hall.
Recalling Jenni's infectious laugh and a rebellious streak, her mother held the baby close, nuzzling his head, and said: 'I want him to know everything about her, and what she did.'
The migraines started last year, when Jenni was a 16-year-old sophomore at Pocatello High School.
She was taken to the family doctor, and an MRI scan found a small mass measuring about two centimeters wide on the right side of her brain.
True Love: Nathan and Jenni had just started dating before she received her diagnosis but he stuck with her throughout everything
Happy memories: Jenni with her boyfriend Nathan at their high school promsource: dailymail
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