Family, friends pledge to ‘Live Like Lyv’
April 1 was a typical day for Alyvia Kemis.
That afternoon the Canonsburg teenager, who went by Lyv, had gone to Kutters Edge Body Piercing for a new nose ring, and then went to sit by Chartiers Creek. Michelle Kemis, her mother, explained that the creek was a favorite spot of hers.
“It was her peaceful place,” Michelle said.
Lyv then experienced a medical event that led to cardiac arrest. Michelle said she had no preexisting medical conditions, and it is still not clear what exactly caused the heart attack.
“What they’ve been able to piece together from different video footage is she sat under the bridge a couple minutes, got up, walked a couple steps, fell, got back up, stumbled a little bit and then fell again,” Michelle said.
Lyv died April 5 at UPMC Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh at the age of 16.
While dealing with this unimaginable loss, Michelle and her husband, John Kemis III, have seen an outpouring of love and support from those who knew their daughter, with many posting on social media using the hashtag #LiveLikeLyv.
John and Michelle adopted Lyv when she was an infant.
“She came into this world kind of rough. It was a tough time,” Michelle said. “She really owned that … She wanted to just give to everyone else.”
Michelle described her daughter as an “old soul in a young body,” often providing others with wise advice.
“It’s like where did those words come from, and how did they come out of your little body?” Michelle said.
Lyv was very active in the community. She took part in Youth for Christ at The Armory in Canonsburg, and did homeless outreach in Downtown Pittsburgh.
Her parents also describe Lyv as passionate about music. She sang, wrote songs and played piano and guitar. Lyv had been a sophomore at Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School in Beaver County.
“I think what I’m gonna miss most is, all of a sudden out of the blue, she would start playing the guitar and singing, and she would do that for hours. That’s how we knew she was good. She was in a really good place when she was just going to town and singing,” Michelle said.
Lyv was also deeply involved with the Washington County 4-H program. She raised and showed rabbits, pigs, goats and lambs.
John said it was Lyv’s “love of life” that drew her to care so much for the animals she raised.
Lola Milcheck, of Marianna, and Lyv raised rabbits and goats together. Milcheck described spending entire days at the Washington County Fair with Lyv. She said they helped each other through struggles with mental health.
“She really helped me with all of my problems that were going on. She really helped me gain confidence in a lot of different things,” Milcheck said. “She always uplifted me. She was very supportive … She was a very caring and outgoing person.”
That description is something that Lyv’s parents have heard all through the week as friends have shared their memories of her.
“Her friends have all said that, you know, she was always there for them. She was always willing to listen when they just needed an ear. She was always willing to give advice when that’s what they were looking for. She would seek out people who didn’t seem to have friends to be their friend because she really felt that everyone needed someone. Even when she was struggling or going through stuff, she was there for everyone else,” Michelle said.
That caring nature continued even after her death, as Lyv’s organs were donated and likely saved multiple lives.
Michelle said there was never much conversation about Lyv being an organ donor before her heart attack, but that it was indicative of who she was as a person.
“She’d give you the shirt off her back and the last 50 cents out of her pocket,” John said.
One of Lyv’s kidneys went to the son-in-law of one of her first 4-H leaders. Her other kidney and kidney and lungs went to a patient in Illinois. A 14-year-old in New York received her heart, and an 8-year-old in Boston received her liver. Lyv’s pancreas, uterus and ovaries were donated to research programs.
John and Michelle have been told that all the patients are doing well after their transplants.
“That little one that got that heart has definitely got enough love in it,” John said. “Whoever got it is going to change the world. I can see it coming.”
Following Lyv’s death, a family friend set up a GoFundMe to raise money for the Kemis family. As of Friday afternoon, more than $23,000 had been donated.
“We’re not ones to ask … We’re more of the givers and supporters and everything like that. Just to see the community is that touched by my daughter just throws us for a loop,” John said.
As the message of #LiveLikeLyv has taken root among those who knew her, Milcheck says it is a reminder to always be herself.
“It kind of means, just to me personally, I should always try to be confident and don’t let other people bring me down and worry about being judged,” Milcheck said.
For her family, the impact Lyv leaves behind is immeasurable.
“Everybody tells us that we raised an extremely incredible young woman,” John said. “She raised us.”