HIALEAH, FLA. (WSVN) – The loved ones of a 3-year-old girl whose life ended abruptly when she drowned in a Hialeah park came together to remember her and share something that always brought her joy.

Dozens of people gathered at Amelia Earhart Park on Wednesday to honor Malaysia at the very spot where she took those fateful steps toward the water, honoring the legacy and sending a powerful message to parents with young children.

“We love you, Malaysia,” said mourners at the memorial service.

The child’s mother, Quannesha Williams, was on site and was comforted by family members.

“In my world, she was everything. She is happy. She is – she is Malaysia,” she said.

Now Williams has said goodbye to her entire being.

On Saturday, Malaysia was at the park with her godmother when, according to her family, she was separated from the party for some reason.

Hours later, a park ranger found her in the lake. She was taken to Palmetto General Hospital, but doctors could not save her.

“I just want people to understand who she was and what that stands for today. I will never forget those memories,” Williams said.

Malaysia’s parents joined the mourners at the memorial service, where they prayed together, hugged each other and paid their last respects to this special little girl.

Among them was her uncle, Nigil Wright.

“This is incredibly hard. It’s incredibly hard for all of us,” he said.

To ease some of the pain, participants planted lily pads near the spot where Malaysia entered the lake and blew soap bubbles into the sky in her memory.

“We’re just trying to make sure we can give her the appropriate final ceremony,” Wright said.

It was a fitting memorial to this three-year-old’s bubbly personality.

“Bundle of energy. ‘You think you’re not getting up? You’re just sitting there?’ Malaysia won’t let you sit there,” Williams said.

Now this family hopes that Malaysia’s death will serve as a lesson to others.

“We want to continually spread the message about water safety and show how important it is to keep an eye on your children,” Wright said.

“If you’re a helicopter parent, stay that way. No one will love your child like you do. No one will not take care of them like you do,” Williams said.

Malaysia’s family has set up a GoFundMe page to help pay for her funeral. If you would like to donate, click here.

Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.