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.
Roller Skating and Skate Keys: A Nostalgic Blast from the Past
Roller skating has been a beloved pastime enjoyed by generations of kids and adults alike. It’s hard to believe that the first use of roller skates was in a London stage performance way back in 1743!
John Joseph Merlin, a London resident in 1760, deserves the credit for inventing the first skates. Roller skates have certainly come a long way since then!
In the United States, roller skating gained popularity as a pastime in 1935. But it wasn’t until the introduction of skating rinks playing disco music in the 1970s that roller skating became a huge trend. It seemed like everyone wanted to hit the rinks and groove to the music!
Speaking of roller skating, let’s take a trip down memory lane. Do you remember those heavy metal skates that you could attach to your shoes? They were quite the fashion statement back in the day. But there’s something else that you might remember if you were a skater before the 1970s – the iconic skate key.
This copper-colored object was an essential accessory for anyone with roller skates. At first glance, it may look like a bottle opener or some kind of tool, but it is actually a skate key. With the skate key, you could adjust the size of your skates by fitting it into the back of the pair. And to make sure they didn’t get lost while skating, most people wore the key around their necks. It was a small but significant part of the roller skating experience.
Skate keys were such an integral part of roller skating that there have even been songs written about them! They symbolize a time when roller skating was a cherished activity, filled with fun and memories.
So, do you remember skate keys? We’d love to hear your skating stories on our Facebook page. Let’s share this delightful blast from the past with others who may have fond memories of roller skating and skate keys too!
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