Maia James Amador

With hearts overflowing with love and sorrow, we share that our beloved Maia James went home to Heaven on November 2, 2025, in her mommy’s arms.

Born on December 14, 2015, Maia arrived with a clear mission of love and healing, starting with her gift of cord blood saved for her brother, who had just been diagnosed with cancer. From there, Maia continued to change lives as she grew, wrapping her friends and family in laughter and the best, most heartfelt, consoling hugs any human could give.

Faith-filled and full of sparkle, Maia loved makeup, horses, kickball, volleyball, singing by herself and with her brothers, dancing, trying new foods and spending endless hours with her cousins. She was 9 going on 19 and was always ready to jump in a cousin’s car to grab Starbucks or Crumbl, get the latest Summer Fridays at Sephora, or record a TikTok dance. Her proudest moment was becoming “Aunt Mai Mai” to her youngest girl cousin, Paxton. Maia could light up a room with her sass and her smile—and shockingly, even with her honesty, silent treatments, and eye rolls as well. Her love was an intricate and complex language all her own, carrying sass, strength, and sweetness in perfect balance. Somehow, regardless of what she said or did, you knew in her presence you were fiercely loved.

Maia walked her cancer journey with extraordinary resilience, acceptance, and grace over the years. It was here that Maia began to reveal just how close she was to Mary and Jesus in Heaven and how purposeful and beautifully timed her life was here on earth. The comments that she would make or the way she would answer questions made you wonder where she got such insight. Her knowledge was not of this world. Her faith in action became a beautiful tapestry, weaving past moments of our lives together as kernels foreshadowing the journey we would walk with her. Her questions about faith, her trust in God, and her radiant belief in Heaven brought countless hearts closer to Him—some returning to the Church, some finding their faith strengthened beyond what they thought possible. That was her power, and her ultimate gift.

From the moment she entered this world, Maia lived with a purpose far beyond her years. She was fiercely loyal and protective. She had an uncanny way of comforting others, even in her own moments of pain. While she may have believed her only purpose was to provide constant direction to her brothers, those of us lucky enough to stand in her light know what her true purpose was. Her legacy will live on through stories of her faith and through the non-profit organization Strides for Sarcoma, which her cousins began in her honor. Though we ache for her presence, we know she has always had one foot in Heaven. And now, fully home, she is dancing in the light of her Savior.

Maia is deeply loved and will forever be cherished by her parents, Cesar and Sarah Amador (Williams); her brothers, Maddox and Isaiah Amador; her grandparents, Jim and Sally Williams and Armando and Yolanda Amador; her aunts and uncles, Cathy and Lou Huebler, Jane and Louie Pollard, Julie and Kevin Conjelko, Ann and Anthony Schneider, and Claudia Amador; as well as all of her treasured cousins: Jacob (Maggie), Justin, Alexander, Tyler, Hannah, and Ava Pollard; Lauren, Max (Lauren), and Baron Huebler; Lexy (Luke) and Paxton Mercuri; Nicholas and Gabriella Conjelko; Zach, Sophie, Marcus, and Patrick Schneider; Sebastian Alvarez; and countless other extended family throughout the world.

Maia’s visitation will be held on Thursday, November 13 from 4pm–8pm at O’Riley- Branson Funeral Service & Crematory. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, November 14 at 10am at St. Jude Catholic Church.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Strides for Sarcoma at stridesforsarcoma.com. You can learn more about Maia’s journey and read some of the beautiful kernels of knowledge she left us by visiting her CaringBridge page at “Maia Amador.”

Please visit www.orileybranson.com to leave a memory of Maia or to sign the online guest book.