Grieving Mom Opens Daughter’s Bible After Her Death, Tears at What She Sees - Newsweek

A family was left devastated by the loss of their daughter who died in her sleep, but as they were grieving, they came across something unexpected amongst her belongings.

On July 27, 2026, Rachel Oxendine tragically passed away in her sleep at the age of 29. As of yet, her family does not know the exact cause of death, but they are trying to process the grief and honor Rachel’s life in as many ways as possible.

Her younger sister, Bethany Oxendine, 24, of North Carolina, told Newsweek that Rachel is “deeply loved and missed” by the family, including her twin, her sisters and brother.

“Rachel was fully herself,” Bethany said. “She didn’t pretend to be perfect or try to be someone she wasn’t. She loved deeply and checked in on the people she cared about. She forgave freely, protected the people she loved, and felt things deeply.”

Following the incredibly moving funeral, Rachel’s mother made a tear-jerking discovery tucked inside her late daughter’s Bible.

It was a piece of paper with notes Rachel had written by hand, including requests for her funeral and words of encouragement for her family to keep in mind after her passing. The list included a request to play Linkin Park’s “Leave Out All the Rest” at the funeral, and for her body to not be buried.

“Remember me by love and a yearning for what’s not expected and wanting something more,” Rachel’s handwritten note reads. “Don’t be sad. Wherever I am, know my love for you. Carry my spirit with you. I didn’t choose this, but if we have to part ways, look to the stars.”

The family was so touched by the note, and they will of course cherish it.

Although they found the note in the Bible after the funeral, they were able to honor most of the requests. They did not play the Linkin Park song at the funeral as they were not aware, however Bethany has since chosen to play that song in her sister’s memory.

Bethany told Newsweek: “It felt like Rachel found a way to love us even without being here. Like she knew how broken we’d be and how much we would need it. It wasn’t random, it was her.”

A few weeks after losing her sister, Bethany shared a video on TikTok (@beoxendine) showing the handwritten note hidden inside her sister’s Bible. Bethany has used social media to process her grief and connect with others who have also gone through loss, and this particular clip has amassed over 1.8 million views on TikTok at the time of writing.

Bethany, who has twin toddlers of her own, never imagined she would have to navigate life without one of her sisters. It is a bond that cannot be replaced, and she hopes to honor Rachel’s light in every way possible.

“You’re not supposed to lose your sister this early,” Bethany said. “Siblings are the people you expect to have beside you through every stage of life. When you lose one, you lose a part of your childhood too. They're the only other person who remembers it the same way you do. Sibling loss is especially deep and a part of me went with her.”

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