A sad event has happened in a community recently. An 18-year-old girl named Sienna Stewart passed away unexpectedly at her high school graduation ceremony.
Sienna had a heart transplant when she was very young, at just 8 years old. She had a condition called cardiomyopathy since she was 4 years old, which made her heart weak. The transplant helped her live a fairly normal life for 10 years, but earlier this year she started feeling unwell again.
Her mom, Saevon Chum, said Sienna had been having episodes where she would collapse. Tragically, one of these episodes happened during her graduation ceremony on May 23, 2024. Paramedics were already there trying to help when Saevon arrived.
The principal of Hiram High School asked for a moment to help Sienna when she collapsed. It was a very distressing moment for everyone there.
Sienna’s mom described how the ambulance was already on the scene when she arrived. This time, Sienna didn’t wake up after collapsing, which had never happened before.
The whole community is grieving for Sienna Stewart, remembering her as a young woman who faced health challenges with bravery.
Sienna woke up a few minutes later and decided she wanted to go to her graduation ceremony instead of going to the hospital.
“All she told me was, ‘I just want to graduate, I want to walk.’ That’s all she wanted, because she missed her prom earlier when she was in the hospital,” said her mom, Saevon.
Sadly, Sienna passed away on Wednesday, June 12, just a few weeks after getting her diploma.
“As a mom, you feel so proud because she fought through something that hurt her. You have to be proud. I was proud until the end,” Saevon said.
According to Sienna’s obituary, she had plans to go to college and study sonogram technology starting in the fall.
Rest in peace, Sienna Stewart.
I Opened My Own Auto Repair Shop to Make Women Feel Safe
A female mechanic has gone to lengths to ensure women and non-binary people feel comfortable and at ease whenever they have car troubles. The 25-year-old used to be “anxious” when she needed assistance, and male-dominated repair shops were the only thing available, so she started her own business.
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Zoe Cog, from Manchester, UK, created a safe space for women to look for car assistance, a repair shop she called AutoCog. Although she started out as a receptionist in the industry, she became a mechanic herself. It was then she realized women constantly felt anxious about entering male-dominated repair shops, fearing discrimination or belittling.
“I’ve been the girl on the other end, worried about walking into places like garages and feeling anxious, and although it’s never easy, I like to think I’m an approachable, friendly female who has created a place where you can walk in and feel at ease, regardless of your gender,” she said in an interview.
“I get pleasure out of taking the pressure off the girls and can give as good of a service as any male-owned garage, but also build trust with the people I’m working with,” she added.
The response to Autocog surpassed all expectations, according to her. “Honestly, the response to my garage has been phenomenal and beyond anything I’d ever expected. It’s been an incredible rollercoaster. I’ve had so much support and positive feedback from not just women but also some incredible words from men,” she revealed.
She continued, mentioning how some feedback also proved why a female-owned repair shop was much needed. “Although some of the comments have proved why such a place was needed for us women — that’s for sure. I’ve had people question my ability to do the job as a woman, but I don’t let it get to me,” she said.
Many women are all about fighting gender stereotypes, and inspiring stories come up every day online. An excellent example is Edine, a young woman who stopped removing facial hair and shared how it has changed her life with the world.
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