"Related links:
Organ Donor Home Page!
AMERICAN SHARE FOUNDATION - TRANSPLANTATION & DONATION!..."
"9-year-old Tina's heart fails; memories live on.
By RICHARD A. D'ERRICO
Staff Writer
MODENA - Doctors say 9-year-old Tina Casiano's heart failed her before they could find one to replace it.
But family and friends say her heart did anything but fail.
'She opened up so many hearts not just in this community but in the communities surrounding us,' said Lee Lacouette, one of many people who took up Tina's cause and raised money for her medical expenses.
At 9:45 a.m. Friday the family came into Tina's room 'and said good bye.'
Thursday had been a rough day for Tina. She suffered a cardiac arrest. The right side of her heart failed first and doctors took four hours connecting her to a biventricular device. Fifteen minutes after that surgery, her left side gave out.
'And then, for some reason, her brain stopped,' her mother said, Gail Casiano.
Galantowicz, believes she suffered brain damage before she was hooked up to the biventricular device.
Earlier in the week, Galantowicz said, Tina would wake up and say: 'Is this the day I'm going to die.'
'She'd be thrilled that she woke up but then question whether this would be her last day,' he said. 'For a 9-year-old, she had a mix of kid fear and adult reality.'
Just a month and a half ago, Tina, like most children, didn't have a care in the world. But when she visited her mother in St. Francis Hospital, she fainted. Doctors, at first, thought she collapsed because of the emotion impact of seeing her mother connected to tubes. But they quickly learned it was more serious.
Tina had a heart disease known as a cardiomyopathy that attacks the heart. It was a sneak attack that took everyone by surprise. And left more questions than answers.
People began fund-raisers. Two more are scheduled for this weekend. Many didn't even know the Casianos. To them, the news of Tina's death was shocking. Many people and business owners were calling offering their help and support.
'I thought that she was winning the battle. With all these people working together, there's going to be a miracle at the end here - and I can't believe that didn't happen,' Lacouette said.
For those that did know Tina, she was one of those people that stands out among the rest of the crowd, according to Joan Werlau, a clerk at the Plattekill Elementary School where Tina went.
'She was a sweetheart,' Werlau said. 'She was one of my favorites. Some kids are special and Tina always was. She was a very special little girl.'
Tina wanted to be known as a little girl who liked outdoor sports, camping and hiking and tubing, not just someone in need.
'Mom, I don't want to just be remembered as the girl who needs a heart transplant - but for me,' a friend recounted Friday.
And loving. Yelle said when she visited Tina last month at Westchester County Medical Center, Tina mouthed the words 'I love you,' squeezed her hand and pointed to her mom and a box on the shelf. Inside the box, Tina had a bracelet with little stars.
he aforementioned articles were gleaned from:
NOTE: no relation to B.E.F. Stienstra.
Organ Donor Home Page!
AMERICAN SHARE FOUNDATION - TRANSPLANTATION & DONATION!..."
"9-year-old Tina's heart fails; memories live on.
By RICHARD A. D'ERRICO
Staff Writer
MODENA - Doctors say 9-year-old Tina Casiano's heart failed her before they could find one to replace it.
But family and friends say her heart did anything but fail.
'She opened up so many hearts not just in this community but in the communities surrounding us,' said Lee Lacouette, one of many people who took up Tina's cause and raised money for her medical expenses.
At 9:45 a.m. Friday the family came into Tina's room 'and said good bye.'
Thursday had been a rough day for Tina. She suffered a cardiac arrest. The right side of her heart failed first and doctors took four hours connecting her to a biventricular device. Fifteen minutes after that surgery, her left side gave out.
'And then, for some reason, her brain stopped,' her mother said, Gail Casiano.
Galantowicz, believes she suffered brain damage before she was hooked up to the biventricular device.
Earlier in the week, Galantowicz said, Tina would wake up and say: 'Is this the day I'm going to die.'
'She'd be thrilled that she woke up but then question whether this would be her last day,' he said. 'For a 9-year-old, she had a mix of kid fear and adult reality.'
Just a month and a half ago, Tina, like most children, didn't have a care in the world. But when she visited her mother in St. Francis Hospital, she fainted. Doctors, at first, thought she collapsed because of the emotion impact of seeing her mother connected to tubes. But they quickly learned it was more serious.
Tina had a heart disease known as a cardiomyopathy that attacks the heart. It was a sneak attack that took everyone by surprise. And left more questions than answers.
People began fund-raisers. Two more are scheduled for this weekend. Many didn't even know the Casianos. To them, the news of Tina's death was shocking. Many people and business owners were calling offering their help and support.
'I thought that she was winning the battle. With all these people working together, there's going to be a miracle at the end here - and I can't believe that didn't happen,' Lacouette said.
For those that did know Tina, she was one of those people that stands out among the rest of the crowd, according to Joan Werlau, a clerk at the Plattekill Elementary School where Tina went.
'She was a sweetheart,' Werlau said. 'She was one of my favorites. Some kids are special and Tina always was. She was a very special little girl.'
Tina wanted to be known as a little girl who liked outdoor sports, camping and hiking and tubing, not just someone in need.
'Mom, I don't want to just be remembered as the girl who needs a heart transplant - but for me,' a friend recounted Friday.
And loving. Yelle said when she visited Tina last month at Westchester County Medical Center, Tina mouthed the words 'I love you,' squeezed her hand and pointed to her mom and a box on the shelf. Inside the box, Tina had a bracelet with little stars.
he aforementioned articles were gleaned from:
NOTE: no relation to B.E.F. Stienstra.
"Related links:
Organ Donor Home Page!
AMERICAN SHARE FOUNDATION - TRANSPLANTATION & DONATION!..."
"9-year-old Tina's heart fails; memories live on.
By RICHARD A. D'ERRICO
Staff Writer
MODENA - Doctors say 9-year-old Tina Casiano's heart failed her before they could find one to replace it.
But family and friends say her heart did anything but fail.
'She opened up so many hearts not just in this community but in the communities surrounding us,' said Lee Lacouette, one of many people who took up Tina's cause and raised money for her medical expenses.
At 9:45 a.m. Friday the family came into Tina's room 'and said good bye.'
Thursday had been a rough day for Tina. She suffered a cardiac arrest. The right side of her heart failed first and doctors took four hours connecting her to a biventricular device. Fifteen minutes after that surgery, her left side gave out.
'And then, for some reason, her brain stopped,' her mother said, Gail Casiano.
Galantowicz, believes she suffered brain damage before she was hooked up to the biventricular device.
Earlier in the week, Galantowicz said, Tina would wake up and say: 'Is this the day I'm going to die.'
'She'd be thrilled that she woke up but then question whether this would be her last day,' he said. 'For a 9-year-old, she had a mix of kid fear and adult reality.'
Just a month and a half ago, Tina, like most children, didn't have a care in the world. But when she visited her mother in St. Francis Hospital, she fainted. Doctors, at first, thought she collapsed because of the emotion impact of seeing her mother connected to tubes. But they quickly learned it was more serious.
Tina had a heart disease known as a cardiomyopathy that attacks the heart. It was a sneak attack that took everyone by surprise. And left more questions than answers.
People began fund-raisers. Two more are scheduled for this weekend. Many didn't even know the Casianos. To them, the news of Tina's death was shocking. Many people and business owners were calling offering their help and support.
'I thought that she was winning the battle. With all these people working together, there's going to be a miracle at the end here - and I can't believe that didn't happen,' Lacouette said.
For those that did know Tina, she was one of those people that stands out among the rest of the crowd, according to Joan Werlau, a clerk at the Plattekill Elementary School where Tina went.
'She was a sweetheart,' Werlau said. 'She was one of my favorites. Some kids are special and Tina always was. She was a very special little girl.'
Tina wanted to be known as a little girl who liked outdoor sports, camping and hiking and tubing, not just someone in need.
'Mom, I don't want to just be remembered as the girl who needs a heart transplant - but for me,' a friend recounted Friday.
And loving. Yelle said when she visited Tina last month at Westchester County Medical Center, Tina mouthed the words 'I love you,' squeezed her hand and pointed to her mom and a box on the shelf. Inside the box, Tina had a bracelet with little stars.
he aforementioned articles were gleaned from:
NOTE: no relation to B.E.F. Stienstra.
Organ Donor Home Page!
AMERICAN SHARE FOUNDATION - TRANSPLANTATION & DONATION!..."
"9-year-old Tina's heart fails; memories live on.
By RICHARD A. D'ERRICO
Staff Writer
MODENA - Doctors say 9-year-old Tina Casiano's heart failed her before they could find one to replace it.
But family and friends say her heart did anything but fail.
'She opened up so many hearts not just in this community but in the communities surrounding us,' said Lee Lacouette, one of many people who took up Tina's cause and raised money for her medical expenses.
At 9:45 a.m. Friday the family came into Tina's room 'and said good bye.'
Thursday had been a rough day for Tina. She suffered a cardiac arrest. The right side of her heart failed first and doctors took four hours connecting her to a biventricular device. Fifteen minutes after that surgery, her left side gave out.
'And then, for some reason, her brain stopped,' her mother said, Gail Casiano.
Galantowicz, believes she suffered brain damage before she was hooked up to the biventricular device.
Earlier in the week, Galantowicz said, Tina would wake up and say: 'Is this the day I'm going to die.'
'She'd be thrilled that she woke up but then question whether this would be her last day,' he said. 'For a 9-year-old, she had a mix of kid fear and adult reality.'
Just a month and a half ago, Tina, like most children, didn't have a care in the world. But when she visited her mother in St. Francis Hospital, she fainted. Doctors, at first, thought she collapsed because of the emotion impact of seeing her mother connected to tubes. But they quickly learned it was more serious.
Tina had a heart disease known as a cardiomyopathy that attacks the heart. It was a sneak attack that took everyone by surprise. And left more questions than answers.
People began fund-raisers. Two more are scheduled for this weekend. Many didn't even know the Casianos. To them, the news of Tina's death was shocking. Many people and business owners were calling offering their help and support.
'I thought that she was winning the battle. With all these people working together, there's going to be a miracle at the end here - and I can't believe that didn't happen,' Lacouette said.
For those that did know Tina, she was one of those people that stands out among the rest of the crowd, according to Joan Werlau, a clerk at the Plattekill Elementary School where Tina went.
'She was a sweetheart,' Werlau said. 'She was one of my favorites. Some kids are special and Tina always was. She was a very special little girl.'
Tina wanted to be known as a little girl who liked outdoor sports, camping and hiking and tubing, not just someone in need.
'Mom, I don't want to just be remembered as the girl who needs a heart transplant - but for me,' a friend recounted Friday.
And loving. Yelle said when she visited Tina last month at Westchester County Medical Center, Tina mouthed the words 'I love you,' squeezed her hand and pointed to her mom and a box on the shelf. Inside the box, Tina had a bracelet with little stars.
he aforementioned articles were gleaned from:
NOTE: no relation to B.E.F. Stienstra.
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