A local mother who recently lost her battle with cancer, is being remembered through a campaign called, ‘Fight like a Mom.’

Elizabeth Restey would have been 26 years old on July 16. She lost her battle with acute myeloid leukemia one day before that birthday. 

Restey grew up on Grand Island. She graduated from the University of Buffalo in 2014, and was diagnosed with cancer shortly afterward. She had her first son in that time. And then she beat the disease. 

Then, she received the news that she was pregnant again. But when she went to the doctor, she found out the leukemia was back. So Restey fought ‘like a mom’ through cancer again, while pregnant. Her second son was born 16 weeks early, on September 12, 2017. He was just 1.5 pounds when he was born, and spent months in the NICU. Shortly after he came home from the NICU, Restey passed away. 

Today, the founder of ‘Sweet Buffalo,’ Kimberly LaRussa, is trying to help her family through this unimaginable loss. LaRussa never met Elizabeth, she only talked to her over the phone, and wrote about her fight for her website, Sweet Buffalo. The site shares positive news happening in our area. 

LaRussa said she was so moved by how strong Restey was, and wanted to do something to help her family after her passing. 

“All of us moms, we always fight for our kids, but I feel like she fought extra, extra hard,” LaRussa said. “So I felt like this was a great way to remember her.” 

All the proceeds from these ‘Fight like a Mom’ t-shirts will go to Restey’s family. LaRussa tells News 4, Restey’s fiance is now sleeping on the couch because his second son, who just recently came home from the NICU, is hooked up to a feeding tube and oxygen.