In many ways, Paris Rosenthal is just like her mother.
The 20-year-old daughter of the popular children’s book author from Chicago not only has a matching tattoo, matching ring and wears the same perfume, she’s also taking on the challenges her mother left behind after tragically losing her battle with cancer.
In her first interview since her mother’s death, Paris Rosenthal said she’s “picking up where [Amy] left off.”
Writing an exclusive essay for TODAY, the young woman detailed how she sat by her mother’s side each and every day in the two months before her death.
“As Amy’s health started to decline, I became a more integral part of the 1,2,3 Project,” Paris Rosenthal wrote. “I helped her solidify which concept to post that day. I helped draw out the ideas when her handwriting failed her. I helped take the photos to post when her energy was limited. I was honored to be mom’s helper, to say the least. I watched the really good days of the project, but I also watched the project come to an end when Amy realized ‘there are other things I need to be tending to, creating and focusing on with my limited time,’ as quoted in her post informing people that the project was ending.”
The 1,2,3 Project was something Krouse Rosenthal had started on Instagram before her death. It was a plan to share a 1,2,3 list daily for 123 days.
She only made it to day 61, however.
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During her final days, Krouse Rosenthal would write her final piece -- a viral love letter about her husband and dating profile of sorts, looking for another love to fill her void, to become the next chapter.
“That’s the love story that I got to witness my whole life,” Paris Rosenthal told TODAY’s Maria Shriver.
In the weeks following her mother’s death, Paris Rosenthal has been constantly reminded of the woman she held so close.
“I was home alone, staring out the window, which happened to be the windowsill in which a mini version of Amy wearing a button dress, holding a yellow umbrella, made out of yarn rested,” she wrote. “Our home is a place where symbols of Amy are omnipresent. No longer able to touch or see my mom anymore, this moment wholeheartedly ignited something within me.”
The young woman has been working to finish the project her mother didn’t have the chance to complete – but “with a twist.”
She has been sharing "a photo that represents something about Amy Krouse Rosenthal" for the remaining 62 days.
“One of her main messages was make the most of your time here,” Paris Rosenthal said.
And that’s exactly what her daughter aims to do.
“My project is about sharing our relationship with the world, it’s about letting everyone know how I feel about her,” Paris Rosenthal wrote. “It’s about representing all that encompasses the Rosenthal family. And it’s about tangibly acknowledging my mom in some way everyday. It’s the only way I know how to get through this.”
