In early December, doctors performed another surgery on Reese to repair the fistula.
Though she initially showed signs of improvement, Reese's condition continued to decline to the point where she coded and doctors had to give her a tracheostomy, according to the outlet.
"It was terrifying for me," Hamsmith recalled to
Today. "But I was also excited that we were just one step closer to getting her back and having her awake again."
Unfortunately, that procedure — though successful, at first — didn't help, and Reese coded once more before passing away in mid-December.
"I started praying... They did CPR, all of the things, for about 30 to 40 minutes," Hamsmith told the outlet. "I had never prayed so hard in my life or begged God like that ... We just didn't get her back."