Toddlers & Tiaras star Kailia Posey’s friends and family gathered on Sunday to mourn her during a memorial service after her shocking passing early this month.

The celebration of life took place at a church in Lynden, Washington, and was live-streamed for over 700 viewers. During the ceremony, the former reality star’s brother Kai (above, inset) gave a heartbreaking speech about their special relationship and how he cared for her in the days before her death.

As Perezcious readers know, the 16-year-old died by suicide on May 2. Her family was the first to break the devastating news on Facebook. The Whatcom County Medical Examiner’s Office in Washington revealed in a news release last week that she was found deceased in her car in Blaine. The cause was determined to be asphyxia due to ligature hanging. Police also noted that her autopsy and toxicology reports would not be disclosed out of privacy.

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After reflecting on several of his favorite memories with his little sis, Kai thought back to a moment about two and a half weeks ago when Kailia came into his room late at night crying. He explained:

“I’m just sitting down in my room, it’s probably about 11 [pm] at this time. She came into my room crying and I stopped whatever I was doing. I just hold her, and we lay down on my bed. She was wearing this hoodie, and I take it off and just start rubbing her head. […] I don’t say anything because if she wants to talk she knows she can talk, she knows I’m there for her. I continue to hold her, until she stops crying.”

Eventually, she began to calm down and feel better, he recalled:

“She’s like, ‘Alright I’m good now,’ and I say, ‘Come back down here if you’re not feeling good.’ I say, ‘I love you’ and she’s like, ‘I love you too,’ and another 30 mins go by and she didn’t come back down. I grab a yogurt, and I go upstairs to check on her.”

They ended up hanging out for a while then, he continued:

“She’s just sitting on the floor and I say, ‘What’s going on?’ and she says she can’t sleep, so I say, ‘Can I lay down on your bed with you?’ and she’s like, ‘Yeah’, and we just throw on some show. And I’m sitting there and we’re just talking, and the whole time, I respect her, she’s her own person. I’m not going to force [her to say] anything that she doesn’t want to. If she feels she doesn’t need to talk to me she doesn’t need to say anything and I respect her. I head back downstairs… but I wanted her to know that she had someone, and that I was always there for her.”

He’d grown used to taking care of her when the family first moved to Washington and their mom was traveling for work, he reflected:

“My time with Kailia… she’s my full blood sister, same mom, same dad. When we moved out to Washington it was just my mom, Kailia and I. I remember my mom had to take care of us, and she would be gone for some days as a flight attendant. I would go into her room and ask her if she was hungry and she would be like, ‘Yeah!,’ I said, ‘Let me make you some food,’ she said, ‘Okay.’”

Even though he knows he wasn’t a good cook, those moments hanging out together in the kitchen allowed them to grow closer.

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He continued:

“I remember growing with her over that time together because we got to spend more time together and I got to care for her in that way.”

He was also especially touched by the way she supported him as he got into sports. They went to separate schools, he noted, but that didn’t stop her:

“She would always come to my games over the ones at her school. She would always be so supportive of me. She’d always want a picture and a hugs, and after [the game] she would make these edits and put it on her Instagram and I thought like, that’s such a cool sister.”

It sounds like she was such a kind, thoughtful sibling. The emotional brother concluded:

“I was never really affectionate with my family but the more I got older the more I was able to show my sister that… I could see the way she changed whenever I would say ‘Oh you look so cute, you look so beautiful.’ That’ll never change. Um… yeah… we love you Kailia. Thank you.”

Days after her death was announced, Posey’s friend revealed that she had been “struggling” with her mental health. How sweet to know that her family was actively looking out for her. Our hearts go out to her loved ones as they say goodbye to her so young. You can watch her full memorial with her brother’s speech beginning at 50:54 (below).

So touching. May she rest in peace…

If you or someone you know is in crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741.

[Image via TLC & Kailia Posey/Instagram]