HOUSTON COUNTY, Ga. — A Houston County family spent their Labor Day honoring a loved one.
Joe Posey puts on an annual golf tournament for his granddaughter each September.
"In one way, it seems like it's been an eternity - and the other way, it seems like it was last year," Joe Posey said.
For the grandfather, the grief was still heavy Monday, as they honored his granddaughter Mary Elizabeth on the ninth anniversary of her passing.
At 11-years-old, she was diagnosed with AML, its a form of leukemia that impacts the bone marrow and blood.
Nearly 200 people came out to honor Mary Elizabeth.
"Her biggest fault was she gave away things. When she was sick, people would give her toys, she give them away," he said.
For her 10th birthday, he says she even raised over $1500 worth of toiletries for the children's hospital in Macon.
She died before her 13th birthday.
"We did not realize when my daughter Mary Elizabeth was diagnosed it was truly a death sentence," Mary Elizabeth's mom, Mandi Paris, said.
Paris says 500 U.S. kids are diagnosed with AML each year.
"There was almost zero research at the time, very little funding and money to give to families with AML," she said.
Despite these numbers, doctors call the disease rare.
"That's a lot. That's not rare and every child matters," Paris said. "It was her passion to keep her legacy and memory alive, we do what we can."
Inside the country club, a picture of Mary Elizabeth welcomed players, with a sign that said, "If I have to die, it'll be ok if it will help others."
"She wanted no other kid have to go through what she went through," Posey said.
So for eight years, Posey has organized the golf tournament to make sure they don't. It helps fun research and support families.
In total they've raised close to $700,000, and last year Posey says they supported six families. Paris says it helps support families through difficult times.
"They need to hear some positive news. There is positive news. Research is changing," Paris said. "We have raised almost with our fund, almost a million dollars, and put it all towards research, and it's actually helping kids to this day. The chances now are much better than they were for my daughter and that makes me happy."
They've supported others, even when their own course got tough.
"My son was diagnosed last year with testicular cancer. He's doing great, but we've now dealt with this twice, so it's been a hard road," Paris said.
However, they push forward. Fighting for other families and keeping Mary Elizabeth's wishes alive.
"I really want to particularly thank the Middle Georgia community. This year particularly, we're gonna have a record year, as far as the amount of money we're gonna take up. The Middle Georgia community has been so very generous," Posey said.
The proceeds for the tournament go towards St. Jude Children's Hospital, United for a CURE Foundation and the James E Worrall Foundation.
You can still donate to the cause here.