Elaina Marie Nelson, 11, Pulaski, passed away peacefully Wednesday morning, October 15, 2025, at her home surrounded by her family, just five days before her 12 ^th birthday. The daughter of Brandon and Ariel (Minor) Nelson was born October 20, 2013, in Marrero, Louisiana.

Elaina was a childhood cancer warrior. She bravely fought Ewings Sarcoma, a form of bone cancer, since October of 2019. Elaina battled cancer half of her life . Before cancer, you would find her outside riding her bike and go kart, or playing on the playset and tire swing. She loved walking her dogs down nature trails and fishing with her family. She was active in gymnastics and softball.

At the age of six, Elaina fought her first round of cancer at St. Jude Hospital in Memphis where she did intense chemotherapy and radiation without sedation for nine months…. And she won! That put her in remission for 32 months. After relapsing in April of 2023, she fought her second round of cancer with leg surgery (for a broken femur) and moved to a new area, Pulaski, WI. She bravely fought cancer again, all the while making new friends, including an amazing new hospital and school staff. April 2024; she won again! While waiting for her "robot leg" to be built and her body to heal for the surgery, the temporary rod holding her leg together broke and the cancer returned for a third time.

Throughout her journey and battle with cancer, Elaina was an inspiration to so many people.

Sissy loved attending school. She completed 5 ^th grade at Glenbrook School this past spring and would have been in the 6 ^th grade at Pulaski Community Middle School this year.  She wasn't picky; she genuinely enjoyed all her classes. She loved art and all kinds of crafts. Elaina had a soft heart for animals and had no problem with spiders and snakes. To know her was to love her; she always wore a smile and stayed positive through her toughest challenges. After cancer, her interests changed to include reading graphic novels and playing Minecraft. She also loved to listen to Queen. She was an old soul with an adventurous spirit. As she often said: "It's a good day to have a good day"!

Survivors include her mom and dad, Ariel and Brandon and her little "big" brother, Brandon; her "kids": Socks the ferret and Blackbeard the bearded dragon; paternal grandparents: Laura Hock, Louisiana and Rick (Susan) Nelson, Suamico; maternal grandparents: Julie Edwards and Russell Minor, Mississippi; paternal great-grandparents: Barb and Jerry Nelson, Long Lake; aunts and uncles: Travis Nelson, Kara Sarto, Krista (Andrew) Nelson, Colton Hock, Brandon Conway and Tiffany (Robbie) Benson ; her three best friends: Braylynn, Cali, and Madi. She was also well-loved by her school family and hospital family.

Elaina was preceded in death by her paternal great-grandparents, Carl and Carol Hock, maternal great-grandparents, Larry and Patricia Minor, her dog, Daisy, and her duck, Quack Quack.

Friends are invited to gather with the family to celebrate Sissy's life on Saturday, November 1 ^st from 1:00-4:00 p.m. at Marnocha Funeral Home, 186 E. Pulaski St., Pulaski.

Online Condolences may be offered to the family at www.marnochafuneralhome.com or on the Marnocha Funeral Home Facebook page.