Maire Caitlin Kent died at the age of 24 of cardiac sarcoma, a rare form of cancer that occurs in the heart. She battled with for nearly one year and on September 27th 2013 the cancer claimed her life.

It was her wish to have her ashes journey out to sea in order to travel the world. A book that she and her siblings read growing up, “Paddle to the Sea” inspired this idea that she had. This is a story about a little boy who carved a wooden canoe with an Indian in it so that it could travel the Great Lakes and make it all the way to the sea. Maire loved this story and thought that this would be a great ending for her journey.

With the help of a blind woodworker named George Wurtzel, who’s based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Maire’s wish is on its way to becoming a reality. After meeting with Maire just a few weeks before she died, George was able to give her a brief glimpse of what her boat would look like.

In the weeks after her death, George has tirelessly worked to complete this boat for Maire. Here is a look at the progress.

Maire’s entire story will be documented, including her boat’s journey, in a film series created by filmmaker Keith Famie. The series is titled “The Embrace of Dying: how we deal with the end of life.”

View the trailer here.

In the wake of Maire’s death, her doctor, cardio-oncologist Monika Leja at the University of Michigan, has worked with the university to establish the Maire Kent Memorial Fund for Cardiac Tumor Research. To learn more or make a donation click here.