Nina Poeta, the Seymour High School student diagnosed last year with an inoperable cancerous brain tumor, died Saturday night surrounded by loved ones.
She was 17.
“She passed peacefully with her loving family all around her. It was approximately 11 p.m. on Nov. 1,” Elizabeth Pisano, a family friend, said in a message to the Valley Indy Sunday morning. “All Saints Day.”
Services will be published when they are announced.
Nina was an athlete, an all-state cheerleader. She was a loving daughter to Dorie and John and to her sister, Cara.
On her prolific Twitter feed, Nina wrote about her loves (family and good food), her friends, her hopes, and also her fears and frustrations as her cancer treatments moved forward.
Her writing showed an intelligent and funny young woman with a quick wit and self-deprecating sense of humor.
The bravest cheerleader out there. At least heaven gained an angel❤️ߑ¼ #NinaStrong pic.twitter.com/1xADXyoJNK
— Krissy✌️ (@itskrissyo22) November 2, 2014Her disease was public, and Nina and her family were embraced by the Seymour community.
“It is with heartfelt sympathy that the Seymour community mourns the loss of Seymour High School student Nina Poeta after a long and courageous battle with cancer,” Seymour First Selectman Kurt Miller posted on his Facebook page Sunday. “Our love and support are with the Poeta family. Seymour High School will be open to provide grief counseling to all of our students and parents through out the day. A memorial for Nina has been set up at the high school for anyone wishing to pay their respects.”
Last November Pisano started a GoFundMe campaign. It raised about $94,000 to help offset the family’s medical expenses.
The GoFundMe campaign kicked off an avalanche of grass-root fundraising events for Nina and her family.
Poeta Strong and Nina Strong instantly became powerful phrases in the Naugatuck Valley. The community support received tons of ink and television coverage. Click here for a photo gallery by James C. Garman of Sports Page Magazine.
The initial goal of the fundraising campaign was $25,000. It was surpassed in a night.
Early on in her diagnosis Nina posted a steady stream of “thank you” Tweets going out to the ton of people wishing her well.
“So crazy to think that all these people are praying, donating, and Tweeting all for me… I’m the luckiest girl in the world,” she posted.
She was at a Seymour Town Board meeting in June, when the high school cheerleaders were honored for winning a state championship.
Nina was in a wheelchair when she was brought in. The room was cramped and crowded. She indicated her vision and one of her legs were giving her trouble.
There was a mix of teenage exasperation and determination on her face that seemed to say, “OK, get out of the way. I’m doing this.”
She walked up and accepted her certificate from First Selectman Kurt Miller, just like her teammates.
Later, her illness greatly reduced her ability to communicate. More and more medical issues surfaced over the summer and into autumn.
She still appeared at football games to root for Seymour — and the community support didn’t stop.
In fact, it still hasn’t.
More than 100 people gave their condolences to the Poeta family on the Valley Indy Facebook page Sunday.
Grief counselors were scheduled to be on hand Sunday (Nov. 2) in the Seymour High School cafeteria from 9:30 a.m. until 8 p.m. to talk to kids.
They are also scheduled to be at the school Monday in the school’s media center.
Rich Kearns, the school district’s security director, released the following statement Sunday:
“We write this morning with very sad news about a member of our Seymour Community. Our Valley Community has all joined together as one community over the past year to offer support and comfort as Seymour High School student Nina Poeta fought “strong” through her battle with cancer.
Early this morning, we learned that Nina Poeta passed away during the overnight hours on All Saints Day, November 1, 2014.
Grief counseling will be available in the Seymour High School cafeteria for our students today, Sunday November 2, 2014, starting at 9:30 a.m.- 8:00 p.m. and throughout the school day tomorrow in the media center.
Additional information will be forwarded to our school community as needed. It is very important that we assist each other as we come to terms with this loss.”
