Jahmeina Simmons-Stovell’s final wish was to be buried in Bermuda.

The 18-year-old moved to the UK in 2006 with her mother and stepfather, Bernette and Vaughn Stovell. Their hope was to get the best medical care possible for Jahmeina, who had cerebral palsy and severe learning difficulties.

The teenager died on February 8.

Mrs Stovell is now trying to raise the money to grant her final wish. She believes she’d have wanted her final resting place to be near her friends and family, especially her sister Keina Rollins.

“Jahmeina loved life,” she said. “She had a full life in spite of her obstacles; she didn’t let that get the best of her.

“Whenever she took sick she always came back fighting. She has taught me, and at the end of the day she became my hero. I was mom and took care of her, but she showed me the true meaning of persevering despite the odds she had before her. She refused to let things get her down.”

Jahmeina kept a smile on her face most days even when sick, her mother said. However when she took ill in December, it was impossible to get a proper grin out of her.

“She was diagnosed with a chest infection and it didn’t go too well,” the 54-year-old explained.

“She kept getting infection on top of infection and by the third one they realised there wasn’t anything they could do. Her body stopped accepting the antibiotics and other medications. She didn’t come back from it.”

Doctors informed the family Jahmeina had cerebral palsy when she was five. It’s a neurological condition caused by problems in the brain and nervous system.

Her mom noticed something was wrong long before that.

“From the time she was born she was floppy,” Mrs Stovell said. “Her muscle tone was low and at six weeks old she started having seizures and that’s when arrangements were made to take her to Boston Children’s Hospital.

“We also noticed that her head circumference was growing really quickly. At first they thought it might be hydrocephalus, which is water retention in the head.”

The news was scary but Mrs Stovell decided to just “get on with it” and care for her daughter the best way possible.

Jahmeina’s health complications got worse with age. She suffered from scoliosis, a severe curving of the spine, and had three hip surgeries before age ten.

She couldn’t walk, talk or sit up and relied on constant care.

“I became her voice,” Mrs Stovell explained. “I cared for her and spoke for her. She would make certain sounds depending on what mood she was in, so I had to study and master those, so you would know when she was in pain, hungry or tired.”

Prior to having Jahmeina, Mrs Stovell worked in the hospitality industry.

After she was forced to give that up to devote more time to her daughter, Mrs Stovell packed up and moved to Cumbria in north west England.

Jahmeina thrived at a school for special needs children. There were also organisations and charities that would take her on weekend outings.

“There was always something for her to do,” Mrs Stovell said. “She wasn’t just home all the time laying around doing nothing. She was always doing something.

“I always told her she got out more than me and I’m able-bodied.

“For her 18th birthday, on August 20, she was taken to Blackpool for the day. There were Ferris wheels and all sorts of different amusements down there and that was something she loved. They also had a little party with cake and ice cream. She had so much fun.”

Mrs Stovell said it meant the world to her just to see her daughter happy.

“It’s a lot quieter here now,” she said. “Usually at this time of night [7.30pm] I am preparing for her to go down for the night and she would wait until everyone was settled and then start making all her loud noise.

“That’s her call for my husband so he would go in and they would play for a little while.

“She would let out a big laugh and when he was finished he would give her a kiss on the check goodnight and she’d drift off immediately after that. That’s something I miss.”

Mrs Stovell has started a fundraising campaign to raise enough money for Jahmeina to be buried in Bermuda. The family is looking to raise £6,000 to cover the funeral expenses — so far they’ve raised just over £2,132.

“It would mean everything to me to know that we had given her her wish,” Mrs Stovell said.

“We gave her the very best that we could by coming here to England. I don’t regret it at all. It was a pleasure.

“I always tell people she was a blessing and it was a pleasure to care for her and help her as my daughter. I am proud of both my girls and both of them are my rock.”

She said she dealt with all the challenges by not dwelling on the negative.

“It took tears and a lot of prayers, but I would look at Jahmeina and just get on with it,” she said.

“Whenever I looked at Jahmeina I didn’t see a disability.

“I saw a baby that turned into a toddler, preschooler, primary schooler and then from a high school student into a young lady. She blossomed — that’s what I saw. The disability was secondary.

“I was blessed to have her for 18 years and it was some of the best 18 years of my life.

“I wouldn’t have changed it for anything. I have no regrets.”

To help the Stovell family, visit: www.gofundme.com/Jahmeina.