In a reality-TV landscape dominated by the bickering of Jon and Kate Gosselin or the antics of wannabe star Richard Heene and his Balloon Brood, it's easy to forget Shiloh Pepin.
The 10-year-old, dubbed Mermaid Girl due to a rare genetic condition, died in a Maine hospital Friday after spending a week in intensive care.
Pepin, who suffered from sirenomeila, or fusion of her legs, defied doctors' predictions to live as long as she did. Her story was chronicled on TLC and The Oprah Winfrey Show.
"She did everything with a zest for life," mom Leslie told Maine's Seacoast Online. "It didn't matter if she did big things or stayed at home with her dad. The quality of life was there."
Shiloh's funeral is set for Wednesday.