Amanda Elizabeth Sylvester

Amanda Elizabeth Sylvester (Mandy) was born on March 14, 2009 in Decatur, Georgia and was an instant joy to her parents, Barbara Elizabeth Sylvester and Anthony Elliott Sylvester, Jr. She was both the baby and the boss to three older siblings, Andrew, Theo and Tyler, all at the same time. Mandy was an accomplished and active student from elementary school through high school. Mandy was in Junior Beta, which was a marker of her academic excellence (and on her way to Senior Beta). In elementary school, she led her team to win first place in the 2019 Junior Beta Elementary Convention Quiz Bowl. In middle school, she captained the Junior Beta quiz bowl team to more success. Mandy continued as a strong student in high school. She had straight A’s at Southwest DeKalb High School in the High Achievers Magnet Program. She particularly loved science and planned on a career in marine biology. Mandy was also an excellent athlete. At the age of 8 years old, she formed an interest in volleyball and discovered something that would be a love for the rest of her precious life. After building her skills through countless hours of practice and games, Mandy ultimately served as the middle blocker on The Dream Chasers Volleyball Club team and made the varsity team of her high school in 9th grade. In January of 2015, at the age of 5 years old, Amanda was diagnosed with Type I diabetes. A scary diagnosis for anyone of any age, and yet, she handled it as she did everything else - with an understanding beyond her years, with confidence and with command. Mandy did not let her condition stop her from leading a full and joyful life. She had plans to win the Nobel Prize one day, and no one doubted her ability to do it. Mandy loved musicals, baking, traveling and animals. Mandy cherished her dog and 3 cats. She knew all the lyrics to Hamiliton and had special moments with her mom seeing shows like Six. She was an excellent baker and enjoyed trying new foods with her dad - Korean fried chicken was a recent favorite. At Thanksgiving, Mandy treated her family to delicious, made from scratch cheesecake. Volleyball tournaments took Amanda to many places and she always took the opportunity to explore a new place and learn more about where she was visiting. And of course - she loved shoes, sneakers in particular. Her collection was extensive. More than any other accomplishment, Mandy is most known for how she made people feel. She was a best friend to her brother Andrew and a cherished team and community leader at school. She led with the brightest smile imaginable and created a light everywhere she went. Mandy’s light rose to our heavenly Father on December 5, 2024. Amanda is survived by her mother and father, Barbara and Anthony; her siblings, Andrew, Theo and Tyler; her grandparents, Judith Sylvester, Anthony Sylvester, Sr., and Ellis Wilson, her aunt Margaret Helen Sylvester a host of great aunts, great uncles, cousins, and other relatives. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that people consider a donation to one of Amanda’s favorite places to go - the Georgia Aquarium or Camp Kudzu, where Mandy loved to attend summer camp with other kids on a journey like hers. The Celebration of Life Service for Amanda Elizabeth Sylvester will be held on Wednesday, December 18, 2024 at 6:00 PM This service will be recorded and streamed live. If the event is interrupted at any time due to technical issues, the entire event will be uploaded and available to view later in the day. Please copy and paste the link to share, or simply click on the link to view the event. https://vimeo.com/event/4785035

Tributes

Amanda Elizabeth Sylvester

March 14, 2009 - December 5, 2024