Mikayla Rae Chrisien

It is with great sadness that we are sharing the loss of our deeply loved daughter, Mikayla Rae Chrisien. Mikayla was born on Nov. 13. 2003, to Charles and Connie Chrisien. She was born in Alaska and grew up there and in Thermopolis, Wyo. Mikayla was the older sister of Tyler Chrisien. The two were close as kids, she called him her "best friend" in a letter that the family recently found. They remained close even as they both grew up and had become adults.

As a child Mikayla loved being outdoors. She spent many hours out on the boat with her father, Charles. She loved everything about nature and could often be found spending time outside with family and friends. Mikayla loved life. Her smile and her laugh were like sunshine. She could light up a room with her beautiful smile.

Mikayla had a close bond with her stepsister Riley. They considered each other sisters and spent many hours talking and laughing. They hung out all the time, dressing up and taking pictures, spending time outdoors and just enjoying each other's company.

Mikayla was a caring, compassionate young woman. She often put others before herself. She was a good friend and seemed to make friends easily. She described herself as hardworking and diligent. When she started a job, she finished it. Mikayla also described herself as stubborn. Others called her tenacious. When she had it in her mind to do something -she did it regardless of what obstacles she would have had to encounter. She put her all into the things she set her mind to do.

Mikayla had a fondness for animals and this included many pets over the years, lastly her beloved cat George. It seems that George was a bit of a rascal, almost setting her mothers house on fire once but Mikayla loved him fiercely anyway.

Kayla, as she sometimes referred to herself once wrote that she was sometimes inpatient and impulsive. These two characteristics got her into trouble at times including leading her on the path of addiction. Mikayla fought this disease with tenacity and stubbornness. She went head on with it many times. In the end, she lost her life in that fight but she gained peace that passes understanding and a reprieve from the things that haunted her. Mikayla died in Alaska on September 15, 2024. She left behind her father, Charles Chrisien; mother, Connie Chrisien; grandmother, Mary Chrisien; stepmother, Jacky Roessing; brother Tyler Chrisien; stepbrother, Kyle Roessing; and stepsister, Riley Eldridge; as well as numerous aunts, uncles, other family members, friends and her cat, George.

Family and friends are invited to attend Mikayla's Celebration of Life at the VFW in Thermopolis on October 4, 2024 at 5 p.m. Food and fellowship to follow at the same location.

In lieu of flowers donations will be accepted to help the family with all the costs of the loss of their beloved Mikayla.