Egli Colón Stephens faced the unthinkable last year when her 24-year-old daughter, model Natalia Harris, died. Natalia had already defeated osteosarcoma as a child, but ultimately died from complications associated with renal medullary carcinoma.
Natalia's family released a statement following her death. It read: "Our Natalia lived with purpose and intention. In her own gentle way, Natalia reminds me of Frank Sinatra’s song 'I did it my way.' She lived fully and in her short life shifted and touched so many others. She leaves a strong legacy behind."
Egli has been tasked with facing the unthinkable: moving on without her daughter by her side. Natalia was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a cancer of the leg, at the age of 12, and her mother wasn't sure that her career aspiration to be a model was a logical choice.
She later told Today, "I realized later I was the fool. Natalia's serious commitment to her dream was what gave her the strength to push through, win her battle, undergo many reconstructive surgeries and grueling physical therapy in order to walk the runway again."
Natalia enjoyed a successful career. She was a participant in New York Fashion Week, appeared on numerous seasons of Project Runway, and was featured on the cover of Vogue Knitting in 2019. She also shot campaigns for Foot Locker, Delta Airlines, and Laura Mercier.
Her Delta campaign would prove to be the most enduring and comforting for her mother after Natalia's death. Egli decided to fly Delta for the first time since her daughter's passing earlier this year, and she was happily reunited with her daughter's campaign at the airport.
She shared the moment on Instagram, writing, "First time flying, since my baby @iamnataliaharris transitioned. Just when I thought I was not going to see her ad from her @delta campaign, there she was. BOOM! Two posters on the corridor, right before boarding the plane. This 'SEE YOU SOON' means more now than ever. I can’t wait to hold her in my arms and never, ever let her go."
She added, "Well, Mama E. thought her last post was a wrap, but baby girl @iamnataliaharris had different plans. Look who was ready to welcome us again, before boarding the plane to come back home, after our long getaway!"
