Abigail Elisabeth Palich

It is with deep sorrow and a profound sense of loss that we announce the passing of our cherished daughter, sister, and friend, Abigail Elizabeth Palich, age 32, of Woodway, Texas. She passed away peacefully in her mother’s arms on September 17, 2026, after a long stay in the ICU at Baylor Scott & White Medical Center in Temple, Texas. This followed a courageous and long-fought, 17-year battle with multiple rare autoimmune diseases.

A Celebration of Abigail’s life will be held on October 2, 2026, at 11:00 am at First Woodway Baptist Church, which is located at 101 N. Ritchie Rd, Woodway, Texas.

Born on December 29, 1993, in Waco, Texas to Les and Dianna Palich, Abbey was the family’s only “true Texan” by birth, as she frequently reminded us. From the very beginning, Abbey brought immense joy and happiness to her family, and that would continue throughout her life—even as her illness spread throughout her body and to the point where she was unable to breathe without support or walk on her own.

Abbey was baptized on January 25, 2004, at First Baptist Church, Woodway, Texas, was a lifelong member there, and was very active in attendance and participation in all of its youth programs. She was especially fond of young children and enthusiastically volunteered to work in the church’s nursery. It was also through her involvement in congregational life that she developed a number of her closest relationships with friends who will miss her greatly.

Having attended Midway schools from the kindergarten on, Abbey graduated from Midway High School in 2012 and then attended Baylor University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Relations with a Minor in Business Administration. She then continued on to graduate school at Baylor and completed a Master of International Journalism degree in 2018.

Abbey had a passion for seeing the world, and before her illness robbed her of her independence, she traveled abroad almost every year, starting from the age of 2. She visited Continental Europe numerous times, as well as spending time in countries in the Adriatic and Mediterranean regions, Scandinavia, Africa, and Central and South America. When she was very young, Abbey would collect travel brochures from castles, cathedrals, museums, and other tourist attractions and then come home and play travel agent with her friends. To no one’s surprise, she later chose a career that assisted medical personnel with travel logistics for educational conferences.

Even through the difficult last several years of her condition, Abbey never lost her grace, courage, or sheer determination to continue to fight back against the illness that was finally overtaking her health. The number of patients suffering from the same autoimmune diseases is so small that no trial studies could be conducted in the search for a cure. In fact, after her passing, the doctors confirmed that case studies would be written about her to capture important details that could guide future research and treatment. They referred to Abbey as a “unicorn in a room full of zebras.” True to her nature, Abbey accepted that as a responsibility to help advance the study of her rare diseases.

Abbey and her parents sought out the best doctors and treatments they could find, often reminding her that they would go anywhere necessary to access the finest available care. After traveling all over Texas to seek out physicians with the medical expertise that Abbey needed most, she was also seen by Mayo Clinic specialists in Rochester, Minnesota, and then in Scottsdale and Phoenix, Arizona, searching for specialists who could help. All conventional and experimental treatment options were pursued.

Our family wishes to express our deepest gratitude to all of the medical professionals whose sincere compassion motivated them to provide the best care possible for our beloved Abbey. This includes the wonderful doctors, nurses, and support staff at the following clinics, among others: ICU Pulmonary Floor Baylor Scott & White Medical Center in Temple, Texas; Baylor Scott & White Medical Center in Round Rock, Texas; ICU Pulmonary Floor at the Mayo Clinic Hospital in Phoenix, Arizona; the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona; the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota; and Ascension Medical Group Providence on Sanger Avenue in Waco, Texas. We thank these healthcare providers for their extraordinary concern and support for our beloved Abbey.

She was preceded in death by her cherished sister, Shannon Marie Bowen; her maternal grandparents, Dan Brewer and Ann Marie Brewer-Crocker; her paternal grandfather, George Palich; and four maternal cousins.

Abbey is survived by her devoted parents, Les and Dianna; her loving brothers, Scott and Ben; her grandmother and aunts, uncles, and cousins; and her many dear friends who have fond memories of their time with Abbey

In lieu of flowers and in keeping with Abbey’s wishes, tax-deductible donations can be made in her name to give.mayoclinic.org, specifying that these gifts are to be designated for Antiphospholipid Syndrome Research.

The family invites you to share a message, memory, or tribute for Abby in her Memorial Guestbook at www.WHBfamily.com.