Lathrup Village mayor creates Rochester University scholarship after son, 21, dies from sickle cell anemia

LATHRUP VILLAGE, Mich. (FOX 2) - Lathrup Village Mayor Kelly Garrett lost her 21-year-old son to sickle cell anemia in October.

Garrett said Chandler Gibson battled the disease his whole life, and had been in and out of the hospital from when he was 1 until his death.

"He's only had three episodes, for the most part. He ended up having a blood exchange at 4 years old and that’s when they basically take the blood out of him and exchange it for new blood," she said.

Gibson had just started studying at Rochester University when his battle with sickle cell anemia ended.

"No parent should ever have to experience everything that I saw and everything that I had to experience. It was, devastating is an understatement, because I can't explain how horrible, you know, what it was," Garrett said.

She struggled to describe watching her son battle the painful illness, but said she has found some peace.

"I know one thing that brings me peace is the fact that I know that Chandler is not in pain, and I know that he's good," she said.

Garrett said Rochester University did a memorial for her son, who was only at the school for a month before dying. She said this motivated her to do an endowment for the university.

So far, Garrett and her family have donated $30,000 to provide scholarships in her son's name. Donate to the scholarship here.