Pastor Mike Stone of Emmanuel Baptist Church in Blackshear, Georgia, announced the death of his 19-year-old daughter, Sarah Ellington Stone, on Tuesday. Sarah died after a protracted illness that included several months in hospice care.
"With heavy hearts upheld by our Christian faith, we want to share that our precious Sarah has gone to be with the Lord," Stone wrote on social media. Sarah had faced a difficult fight with multiple health issues, enduring hospice stays, strict medication regimens, and the inability to engage in regular activities.
Mike Stone, who has served as pastor at Emmanuel Baptist Church for over 24 years, shared updates on his daughter's condition in recent months. In September, Sarah celebrated her 19th birthday, and her father noted the joy of her reaching that milestone and celebrating his own birthday a few days later.
Last month, Stone wrote that Sarah's body was "ravaged" by disease but that her mind remained sharp and her faith strong, adding that her sense of humor rarely faltered. He shared that Sarah began hospice care in August, acknowledging the signs of her declining health while expressing hope for a miracle.
Sarah had used her own social media presence to document her struggle with chronic illness and to offer support to other chronically ill Christians navigating their faith. In a video from November 2025, she spoke about the complex nature of grief for chronically ill Christians, emphasizing the sufficiency of God's grace.
A service to honor Sarah Ellington Stone will be held on November 8 at Emmanuel Baptist Church of Blackshear.