Dolly Pippa Mcbradlyn

Dolly Pippa McBradlyn was born still at Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana, Illinois, on February 14, 2024, at 6:42pm, to parents Molly McLay and Barry Bradlyn. She was delivered at 22 weeks 3 days gestation, weighed 5.5 ounces, and measured 7.25 inches long. Dolly was originally an embryo made in New York City on January 10, 2023 with love and science. She was transferred on September 29, 2023 during a flood outside her parents’ IVF clinic in New York City.

Dolly’s parents gave her the name Dolly in honor of nicknames given to Dolly’s mother (Molly Dolly) by Molly’s Gramms and to departed dog brother Oliver (Ollie Dolly) by family friend Meg. This name is also given in honor of the musical Hello Dolly! and its touching moments in the movie WALL-E; two fabulous maltipoos named Dolly and their amazing human namesakes; and of course, the incomparably sweet, feisty, justice-oriented, and loving Dolly Parton. Dolly’s middle name Pippa is given in honor of Barry’s departed uncle Phil. McBradlyn combines the last names of Dolly’s parents, and Dolly is the first human in the world who has ever legally had this last name.

Dolly had her dad’s hands and feet and her mom’s nose and cheeks. Dolly loved to move around in her mom’s belly, especially when her mom was singing, when they were listening to songs in the car, and when her parents went to Broadway shows. Dolly enjoyed when her mom ate pizza, salt and vinegar chips, cheese sticks, and sweet potatoes. Her favorite animals were her dog brother Alvin and her cat brother Baryon. Dolly got to listen to the Pacific Ocean from her mom’s belly and got to fly on planes a few times.

Dolly is survived by her mom and dad and dog brother Alvin (Urbana, IL); her grandparents Janet and Joe McLay (Sherman, IL) and Ramona and Paul Bradlyn (Lake Worth, FL); her great grandmother Arlene Bradlyn (Wantagh, NY); several great-aunts, great-uncles, and cousins; and many chosen family members. She is preceded in death by her human sibling Peanut; her pet siblings Hadron, Oliver, and Oreo; and several great-grandparents and other extended family members. She is followed in death by her cat brother Baryon.

Dolly was taken from this world before she ever had a chance to take her first breath or cry her first cry. She reminds us every day about the joy and beauty that is possible in the world, and she is represented in her family’s hearts by yellow butterflies, lavender, and rainbows. She will live on in the memory of her many loved ones and in every small act of kindness done in this world.