The community is grieving the untimely loss of an 18-year-old high school graduate who collapsed during her graduation ceremony.
Recent reports reveal that Sienna Stewart, at 18 years old, passed away after experiencing heart failure in April. Sienna, who had undergone a heart transplant at the age of eight due to severe cardiomyopathy, had been battling health issues earlier this year.
Despite leading a relatively normal life for a decade post-transplant, Sienna’s health began to deteriorate recently.
Her mother, Saevon Chum, shared that Sienna had been having episodes of collapsing, with one such incident occurring during her graduation ceremony on May 23, 2024.
During the ceremony, captured in a video by Hiram High School, the principal is heard requesting time to attend to the emergency.
Upon Saevon’s arrival, paramedics were already assisting Sienna. Saevon recalled, “When I got there, the ambulance was already there. She had collapsed. She had another episode. But this was the first time she collapsed unconscious.”
After some time, Sienna regained consciousness and made the brave decision to proceed with her graduation rather than seeking immediate medical attention.
Expressing her daughter’s strong will, Saevon shared, “All she could tell me was, ‘I just want to graduate, I want to walk.’ That’s all she wanted, because she had missed her prom before, she was in the hospital, and she had missed her prom.”
Tragically, Sienna passed away on June 12, just a few weeks after achieving her diploma.
Reflecting on her daughter’s determination, Saevon expressed her pride in Sienna’s resilience throughout her health struggles.
Sienna had aspirations to pursue a college education and study echocardiography starting in the fall.
Rest in peace, Sienna Stewart.
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