(CBS) Sheryl Wolfe's dreams were coming true - she was crowned Miss Hawaii Teen United States and her modeling career was blossoming. But it all stopped in a second.
While sitting in class at Honolulu's Mililani High School, the 18-year-old collapsed. Her brain hemorrhaged, which led to a paralyzing stroke. After a week in a coma, she was declared brain dead on Monday.
But now, the girl with a huge heart may give hers away.
Wolfe was an organ donor and at least four people are scheduled to have life-saving surgery from her organs.
Out of the tragedy "comes a whole lot of new life," Stephen Kula, executive director of Organ Donor Center of Hawaii, said to the Star Bulletin. "That is the bittersweet side of it."
Wolfe had no prior health problems and no family history of early strokes. Doctors say there was nothing she could have done to predict this would happen.
"It's just kind of totally unexpected out of the blue," Sheryl's dad, Allen Wolfe, told CBS affiliate KGMG.
Sheryl Wolfe was supposed to go on to compete in Miss Hawaii Teen World next month. Now her friend and "pageant sister" Florence Villanueva will represent her and even wear her evening gown and swimsuit.
"She'll never be forgotten, she was such a wonderful girl who always made everyone smile," Villanueva said to KGMG.
Reporting contributed by CBS Affiliate KGMG's Tim Sakahara.
source: http://www.cbsnews.com/
Miss Hawaii Teen Sheryl Wolfe dies from stroke at age of 18
Miss Hawaii Teen Sheryl Wolfe's profile is seen on the modeling site Model Mayhem. The 18-year-old died following a stroke, which is highly unusual for someone her age, doctors said.
Sheryl Wolfe, recently crowned Miss Hawaii Teen United States, died in Hawaii from a stroke Tuesday at the age of 18.
The teenager, who had no health problems and no family history of stroke, had collapsed while sitting in class at her high school, and was in a coma for a week.
"I would trade my life in a heartbeat," her father, Allen Wolfe, told Hawaii News Now. "I should be the one there. She shouldn't be. My daughter, she'd light up everybody. People were down, she had the right thing to say to them as far as how to bring their spirits up."
The girl with the beautiful smile was an organ donor, and at least four people were to receive her organs, according to Hawaii News Now.
It's very unusual for someone so young to have a stroke, said Dr. Steven Wolf, director of pediatric neurology at St. Luke's and Roosevelt hospitals.
"Most likely, she had a blood vessel abnormality," he said. "It could have been an aneurysm or an AVM, which is an abnormal collection of blood vessels that can bleed and put pressure on other blood vessels. Sometimes, a person with an AVM or aneurysm never even gets a headache. It can just blow."
Christopher Loftus, professor and chairman of neurosurgery at Temple University School of Medicine and Hospital, says most aneurysms and AVMs come on with little warning. "And if that is what she had, 50 percent of people die on the spot," he explains. "About half of those who survive come out okay, and the other half have disabilities. So, it's a pretty bad thing to have happen to you."
Wolfe was to have competed in the Miss Hawaii Teen World pageant next month, but now her "pageant sister" Florence Villanueva will represent her. Villanueva will even wear Wolfe's swimsuit and her gown. "She'll never be forgotten. She was such a wonderful girl who always made everyone smile," Villanueva told Hawaii News Now.
Another "pageant sister," Ashlyn Pierceall, said: "I'll miss her a lot. No regrets; Just live your life, because that's what Sheryl did."
source: http://www.nydailynews.com/
Beauty Queen Tragedy: Why did 18 year-old suffer fatal stroke? - Video clips of Mysterious stroke kills teen beauty queen
Video clips of Mysterious stroke kills teen beauty queen
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