"The little red-haired girl from Lititz — whose battle with cancer and a plea for Christmas cards touched people's hearts the world over — was given only a few weeks to live late last year.

But Hannah, who was diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme in October and wasn't expected to see Christmas, struggled through to her fifth birthday on Jan. 16. She celebrated Easter and even managed to dip her toes in the Chesapeake Bay during an early summer outing.

She rode in a fire truck in the Mother's Day Make-a-Wish convoy and, on May 30, she fulfilled a dream by serving as flower girl in her cousin Sheri's wedding. Her favorite colors were pink and purple, and she loved to draw.

Hannah died Tuesday evening, surrounded by her family.

Her father, Darin, who faithfully kept a record of Hannah's progress at CaringBridge, a Web site devoted to the care of people with terminal illnesses, announced the news with a brief message just a few hours later.

"Tonight at 5:45 Hannah went home to be with Jesus," he wrote at 9:18 p.m. "She was surrounded by family & passed peacefully.

"Right now I'm pretty exhausted. It's been a long day. Please pray for the family & me over this tough time."

Hannah's grandmother, Shirley Garman, said Tuesday that the family is coping with the loss with the support of family and friends.

Knowing it was coming didn't make the reality any easier, she said.

"She was a brave little thing. She stayed brave right to the end," Shirley Garman said.

"But it really hits hard, when it comes. We're just trying to get through the days without her.""