Annika Grace Kuettel

Cradled tenderly in the loving arms of her remarkable mother, our beloved Annika Grace Kuettel passed away peacefully in her sleep at her home in Herriman, Utah on August 28, 2026, from complications of Cornelia de Lange Syndrome.

Affectionately called Sprinkle by her two older sisters, Annika was born on October 22, 2025, at the University of Utah Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah. She wasn’t expected to live through her first night. We were heartbroken when her doctor sat us down that evening and told us that she had tried everything she could think of to save Annika’s life and that all she could do now was try a third blood transfusion and hope that somehow it worked. Thankfully, it did.

Annika spent the next 76 days in the Newborn Intensive Care Unit at the U, where she fought—gram by gram—until she earned her place in the coveted “5 Pound Club.” While in the NICU, Annika was cared for around the clock by highly skilled, compassionate nurses, who sacrificed a lot to take care of her and our family. They spent Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years with us. They protected her when her dad wanted to take her on a field trip down the street to Rice-Eccles Stadium for her first football game. They loved her, and we loved them. We will be forever grateful to our NICU family and the other similarly remarkable medical teams including Primary Children’s in Lehi and SLC, Southridge Pediatrics, and Intermountain Home Health and Hospice, who consistently went above and beyond to turn what was supposed to be 10 hours with our precious baby into 10 beautiful months.

Although her earthly sojourn was short, Annika made the most of each one of her 311 days. She woke up every morning eager to play with her toys. She took playing very seriously and played for hours on end, fueled by intermittent snuggle breaks and long naps in Grandpa Mike’s arms. She loved her beehive and vegetable garden set, an unadorned feather that absolutely mesmerized her, all her musical instruments, and of course Mr. Wiggleworm (and Mr. Wiggleworm Jr.).

Despite sometimes pretending to be asleep during her weekly, in-home therapy sessions, she made great strides with help from her occupational, physical, speech, music, hearing and vision therapists. Once she learned a new skill, such as rolling over or turning pages of her books while sitting up in her Bumbo, it was impossible to get her to stop practicing. Towards the end of her life, the speech therapist signed off on us giving her small tastes of mashed up foods. Squash was a “hard pass” for her. Mangoes were a “hard pass” for us after all the diaper changes. But seeing her iconic eyebrow raise and her eyes light up when she tried applesauce and blueberries for the first time was something we will never forget.

She truly did approach each new experience with curiosity and wonder, discovering the world around her in her own beautiful way. Every smile, every laugh, every little expression, and every cuddle became a precious memory that we will treasure forever.

Annika had a remarkable way of bringing joy to others simply by being herself. Her presence touched countless hearts and filled her family’s lives with a love that can never be measured. She was a beautiful light in the lives of everyone who had the privilege of knowing and loving her. Her presence brightened every room. Her smiles and laughter brought happiness to everyone around her. And her snuggles were absolutely the sweetest in the entire world.

Annika was also incredibly strong. She faced unimaginable obstacles, yet continued to fight, grow, and experience life with a beautiful unmatched determination. She showed a strength far greater than her little body could ever have revealed. In the face of challenges, she continued to give love, to smile, and to bring happiness to others. Her example of courage is one of the greatest lasting gifts she gave to all who love her.

Annika’s life changed our family forever. She taught us that love can be immense, that joy can be found in the smallest moments, and that even the tiniest person can leave an enormous imprint on the hearts of others. The love she gave will continue to live on in everyone who knew her. She was never simply a baby. She was our Sprinkle. She was our joy. She was our little fighter. She was our beautiful baby girl.

Annika is survived by her loving parents, Justin and Ann Kuettel, and her beloved sisters, Sienna and Naomi Kuettel, who will carry Annika in their hearts forever. She is lovingly remembered by her grandparents, Mike and Rhonda Kuettel and John and Holly Rogerson, along with all the family and friends whose lives she touched.

Annika may no longer be in our arms, but she will never be absent from our hearts. She will be remembered in every smile, every tender moment, and every memory of the joy she brought into our lives. Her courage will continue to inspire us, her laughter will echo in our memories, and her love will remain with us always. Although we wish with all our hearts that we could have had more time with her, we will not measure Annika’s life by the number of days or months she was with us. We will measure it by the love she gave, the joy she created, the hearts she touched, and the beautiful memories she left behind.

Our precious, sweet baby. You will be forever missed, always remembered, and eternally loved.

A graveside service will be held on September 3, 2026, from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at 12465 S Pioneer St, Herriman, UT 84096.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the CdLS Foundation (https://www.cdlsusa.org) to help other kiddos like Annika who have Cornelia de Lange Syndrome.