Kailia Posey "found the good in everybody," says the late Toddlers & Tiaras star's mother.
In an exclusive interview with E! News, Marcy Posey Gatterman recalled heartwarming memories of her daughter, who died by suicide at age 16 on May 2.
"She was kind to everybody. She found the good in everybody. And even through that pageant world," she said about Kailia. "You would never know she was in a movie—[the 2019 film] Eli, or on Toddlers & Tiaras if you didn't watch it. She never spoke of it, never said anything about it. Just still humble about life."
Marcy said Kailia was her "best friend" who was "goofy" and "a hard worker."
"I mean, she would go out and if she wanted to make some money, she would go shovel snow for neighbors," she said. "She just tried everything. She's sweet, just sweet and a hard worker and she loved hugs."
Marcy recalled, "I just remember [her] yelling my name the minute she got home from school. 'Mom! Mom!' I'm like, 'Kailia, come find me.'"
Kailia, a high schooler, contortionist and longtime pageant queen—who was a finalist in the Miss Teen Washington contest in February, was honored at a public celebration of life on May 14.
"She wouldn't want anything to be sad," her mom told E! News. "It was black, white and then accents of pink. And then we had a selfie photo booth, because she was always doing selfies, she would have loved that."
Marcy continued, "I wish that she would know how many people actually cared and loved her."
She also thanked fans for their support and made a plea. "Please, talk to people," she said. "Talk, get out what you're feeling. Because this is the worst thing [for] a mother to go through."