Karen Owens of We Speak PODD died: What happened? Cause of death Explained

DEVASTATING LOSS: The world lost a most incredible trailblazing powerhouse woman. Karen was a dynamic and inspiring leader in AAC.

She was unmatched in her commitment and compassion for voiceless people. She put in countless hours to teach others and spread her knowledge.

Her influence will be felt for a very long time to come. She has impacted and aided so many people. She roamed this earth with gratitude but was heartbroken that her time here was so brief. Read ahead to learn more details about her and Karen Owens cause of death.

Karen Owens Death: What happened to her?

We are deeply saddened to announce the passing news of Karen Owens, AAC coach and founder of the We Speak PODD learning platforms.

After losing their beloved mentor and angelic spirit Karen, the PODD and AAC community is in deep mourning. We humbly request that you pray for the Owens family. We Speak Podd was founded by Karen, who had a wonderful heart for children. 

And a quote from Karen’s message to the TalkingAAC Community in 2017:

“When we start believing these kids will play a meaningful role in society, and tell their own damn story – it changes everything.”

Karen’s legacy will continue to impact and change the lives of many children, families, and advocates in the AAC community.

According to the reliable information posted on the, We Speak PODD official Facebook page, Karen Owens passed away tonight at 9:18 p.m. Read the statement that was posted on this page in the wake of her passing:

Our family’s heart is so heavy. Karen was a powerhouse when it came to making sure our kids had a voice. She was so proud of this page, and being able to bring people together. Thank you all for loving our family from a distance. Tonight at 9:18 pm Karen was reunited with Gavin, Jayden, and Angela. Please pray for us as we walk through another tremendous loss. Our hearts are so heavy. -Adam

GOFUNDME

For the sake of Adam Owens, Nathan, and Carrie Duvall have organized this fundraiser and launched a GoFundMe campaign to assist with their medical costs.

During this difficult time of profound sadness, let’s stand together with Adam and their children, Madi, Siah, and Harper. Adam shouldn’t have to shoulder all of Karen’s final costs and medical expenditures by himself.

Whatever the amount, they sincerely appreciate and value your thoughtful assistance. Click here to help them. The Gofundme page reads the following statement,

We share the news of our friend Karen’s passing with heavy hearts. Her unwavering faith and fighting spirit left an indelible mark on our lives. While we are devastated by the unimaginable loss the Owens family has endured over the years, we find comfort in knowing Karen is now reunited with her three beautiful children. In her honor, we’ve created this GoFundMe campaign to support Adam and their children by easing the financial burden of Karen’s final expenses and medical bills.

Karen about AAC 

I am a mother of six children, five of whom have complex communication needs, complex bodies, and unique developmental journeys. I have no formal training, no degrees, or credentials to back up the information I share within my e-workshops.

I have dedicated my life to ensuring that each of my children will be given access to age-appropriate education, including literacy, and access to robust communication. Each of my children carries various diagnoses, different genetics, and different life stories.

Despite these differences, my methods and practices are working, and I am honored every day to play a small role in their journey toward their personal best.

I desire to share my knowledge so that you, too, can take the first steps in your journey as you fully embrace the “Literacy, Education and Communication for All” movement.

We may not be able to change the world, but we can start with one individual, change their lives forever, and hopefully inspire others to do the same.

Adam and Karen’s journey

For those who are unfamiliar with Adam and Karen’s story, they have had to say goodbye to three children, which has made their path characterized by sorrow.

Gavin, who was two when he received a diagnosis of mitochondrial disease, passed away in 2009. When their son Jayden drowned unintentionally in 2016, tragedy rocked the family once more. Their most recent unexpected goodbye was to their lovely daughter Angela in April 2023.

The heartbreaking, inexplicable loss this family has experienced over the years is beyond words, yet Karen’s spirit of perseverance knew no bounds thru it all.

She had a great heart and a burning desire to help special-needs kids, especially those who lacked a voice. She founded “We Speak PODD,” an organization that empowers families to assist their children in communicating, as a result of her passion.

What does loss in life teach them?

After losing Gavin in 2009, the couple started looking into adoption as time went on. Adam and Karen started their journey towards adoption through the foster care system after discovering the AdoptUSKids website.

They quickly realized that there were children in the foster care system who required homes and had medical needs. Adam recalls their dawning realization that “we have all these skills we learned from caring for Gavin: we can be the home for these kids.”

Gavin had required ongoing medical care at a young age since he was born with mitochondrial dysfunction, a rare disorder that prevents cells from producing energy. Madi, meantime, yearned for a sibling and was more than willing to play and adore a youngster with disabilities. 

Angela and Jayden joined the Owens family between 2010 and 2011. While Jayden has brain damage, is deaf, has cortical blindness from being shaken as a baby, and has a tracheostomy to breathe, Angela has 1p36 deletion syndrome, cerebral palsy, and cortical blindness.

With time, Jayden was able to stop taking some of his medications and started acting more alert and inquisitive. Angela mastered the use of a walker and the PODD communication system, which uses symbols to convey information.

As soon as they noticed the good changes, Harper, an infant with fetal alcohol syndrome and a 15q duplication, was informed by the Owens’ adoption agency that she was one year old.

Harper was instantly accepted into the family’s home. Late in 2014, the couple came to know Siah, a nine-year-old child who had lived all of his life in a nursing facility.

He had cerebral palsy and a tracheostomy, both of which Karen and Adam were familiar with. “We exchanged glances as we contemplated our van, which still had one seat available. Siah had to go home, we knew,” Karen adds.

Karen Owens cause of death

“Karen’s spirit of resistance knew no bounds. She had a great heart and a burning desire to help special-needs kids, especially those who lacked a voice. She founded “We Speak PODD,” an organization that empowers families to assist their children in communicating, as a result of her passion.

Karen had a significant impact on many families’ lives with her amazing project by giving them the resources and care they required. Families in this situation frequently feel abandoned and ignored.

As per the family statement, it was confirmed that she passed away tonight at 9:18 p.m. Also, Karen Owens cause of death has not been made public yet.

Other than that, neither her family members nor web media have provided any information regarding the cause of her passing.

We’ll update this article as soon as additional information becomes available. Moreover, the family’s privacy must be respected even though attempts are being made to compile pertinent information and promptly deliver the most recent updates.

Did Karen have any illness before death?

Our inquiry revealed that she struggled with an eating disorder and bilateral strokes, making her already miserable existence even more worse. You can read the statement regarding her condition that was placed on her GOFUNDME page in January 2021.

Karen struggled with an eating disorder for her entire life but after Jayden died, the trauma, the PTSD, it all came back with a vengeance. For Karen she wants people to know it’s not about being thin, It’s about being the only way she could cope with the death of her two children. She became very ill this spring. They made end-of-life plans, but She started fighting harder than ever. Just as she began rehab to regain her strength. She was hit with a bilateral stroke. A right cerebellum and left cerebral to be exact. It has changed their lives yet again.

OUTPOURING TRIBUTES FROM PEOPLE WHOSE LIVES WERE IMPACTED BY KAREN OWENS

Read more,

Fred Somerville death: US army veteran from San Antonio died by suicide after mental health battle

How did Nikki McCray die? Former women’s basketball player cause of death explained

Follow us on Twitter for more updates.