With broken hearts, the family of Emmet J. Schmidt, who preferred to be called Alice in recent years, must announce her too-soon death at age twenty. She was born May 20, 2004 to Jacob and Stacey, who were thrilled to be having a third child. Her siblings, Olivia and Austin quickly found her to be a funny and chaotic compatriot. The house joke was that there was a gang problem, as the three kids often hijacked the household. Alice's grandparents, Don and Anita Holtz and Portia Schmidt, preceded her in death, as did her aunt, Jessica (née Schmidt) Paquin. She was close to each and every one of them. Alice had aunts and uncles that she loved: Jonathan and wife, Amanda Schmidt, Jennifer and husband, Jason Adams, and Martin Holtz. Alice and her cousin, Erik Schmidt, shared a close bond as both family and friends.

Alice was dealt a rough hand in life. At six years old she was diagnosed with leukemia. This was a battle no child should ever have to face, but she faced it with bravery, determination and a wisdom that belied her age. There were innumerable pokes and procedures, side effects and setbacks, but throughout these all she persevered. It was heart wrenching to watch. Unfortunately, after 2 and 1/2 years of treatment, then a year of returning to a normal life, the cancer returned, and did not respond well to treatment. She was given the chance to participate in a Phase 2 clinical trial of a new chemotherapy medicine. After long discussions with parents and doctors, Alice said that she would like to do it. She endured three months of continuous hospitalization because the medicine had to be given 24 hours a day. She reached remission and went on to have a bone marrow transplant. Alice was very proud of the fact that the medicine she trialed became the standard treatment for relapsed leukemia. Her willingness to be a test subject advanced childhood cancer medicine.

Once home from her transplant and recovery, Alice found it difficult to rejoin regular school. She had missed years of attending in-person classes and decided on a different education path. She worked hard to complete her High School Equivalency Diploma. The graduation ceremony was touching as it represented all she had overcome to be there. She then enrolled in Blue Ridge Community College's welding certificate program.

Alice had an amazing sense of irreverent humor and could be silly, snarky, droll and absolutely hilarious. She thought opossums were funny and once asked for (and received!) 154 fuzzy worms on a string for a Christmas gift, because they made her laugh. She liked to draw as well as write songs and poetry. Most of the time she had a sketchbook with her. She loved creating patches for her jackets and leather working. Alice liked finding obscure bands and music genres to listen to. Her most recent favorite style of music was folk punk. Alice's friends were important to her; she enjoyed spending time with them, whether online or in person. She valued the time they spent gaming, chatting, or walking around and just hanging out.

Alice moved to Burlington, Vermont in March of 2024. She was excited about starting life in a new place with new opportunities. Unfortunately, her physical and mental health (both which had been challenging over the years) declined. Alice attempted suicide and, after several days in intensive care, passed away on October 17, 2024 surrounded by her family. While her death cannot be attributed to cancer, childhood cancer was a direct contributor to the cause of her death. Her family believes that wherever she is now, she is free of the pain and suffering that has been her companion for so many years, that she is full of joy and carries the love they all have for her.

Funeral services will be on Sunday, October 27, 2024 at 6 PM at The Eackles-Spencer and Norton Funeral Home at 256 Halltown Road, Harpers Ferry, WV. The doors will open at 5 PM for visitation before the service.  Burial will be Monday, October 28, 2024 at 11 AM at Ebenezer Cemetery, 20421 Airmont Rd, Bluemont, VA.