When 6-year-old Elena Desserich was diagnosed with brain cancer, she began hiding hundreds of little love notes around the house for her parents to find after she was gone. Here's the story:

Just before her sixth birthday, Elena Desserich (right) was diagnosed with brain cancer and given 135 days to live. She lived 255 days, passing away in 2007. After her death, Elena's parents, Brooke and Keith, found hundreds of notes from Elena hidden around the house -- in between CD cases, between bookshelves, in dresser drawers, in backpacks.... "It just felt like a little hug from her, like she was telling us she was looking over us"

Elena left hundreds of notes like these:



See more of Elena's notes

Elena's parents, Brooke and Keith Desserich, have now published these notes in a book called Notes Left Behind to fund a non-profit organization The Cure Starts Now dedicated to fighting pediatric brain cancer.

Link to story (book excerpt) over at Today | The Love Notes | Official Website

Ah, this broke my heart, but the story is too touching not to share. Excuse me while I, erhm, dry my eyes. Got dust in 'em or something.