Megan Brittain, the 12-year-old girl whose fight with cancer galvanized the community of Jacksonville over the last two years, died Tuesday afternoon.

In 2007, Megan was diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare type of cancer found in muscle tissue. Throughout the last two years, she underwent numerous surgeries and rounds of chemotherapy and radiation in an attempt to rid her body of the cancer. Because of her fighting spirit when it came to her disease and her unwillingness to let it bring her down, she became a rallying symbol for those who knew her personally or through her family.

"Her sense of humor stayed with her," said Robin Boyles, a close friend of the family and Megan's "adopted mom." "She always had a joke to crack or a prank to play."

Boyles said Megan's last prank was pulled on her two brothers, Ian and Bradley, as she feigned sleep to draw them and her father Gary close enough for her to spray them with silly string.

Posted at 5:34 p.m. Tuesday evening on Megan's CaringBridge Web site, the place where her fans and friends have followed her struggle, were these words from Gary, "Safe in the arms of Jesus! No angel wings here. She's a child of the king! Megan breathed her last breath at 4:15 this afternoon. No more struggle. No more pain. There has been a grand reunion in heaven with her Mom and her Nana, countless other relatives, even meeting her Grandfather for the first time. Heaven will never be the same! I won't tell you to stop praying, I know my family and I still need the prayers. Giving her up today was not an easy thing to do. There are many more tears to come. What I want to say is 'thank you' for your faithfulness in praying for us. We have been truly blessed."

Megan's mother Sharon died in early 2007 from cancer.

Just a little more than a month ago, on May 4, a large crowd of those who cared about Megan and supported her throughout her battle gathered on the square in Jacksonville to celebrate her life. For many of those gathered it was their farewell to someone who touched their lives so deeply.

The Kitty Stone Elementary, Jacksonville High, Weaver High and Jacksonville State University bands were all present to show their support for Megan. Megan's father Gary is the minister for JSU's Baptist Campus Ministries.

Most of those in the crowd wore blue, Megan's favorite color, and several carried signs of support for her and the Relay for Life team created in her honor by Kitty Stone Elementary School, where she was a student; Weaver High School, where her mother taught; and Jacksonville First Baptist Church, where she and her family were members.

Bob Ford, retired Baptist Campus Ministry minister and longtime friend of the family said that funeral arrangements for Megan have not been announced at this time.