Stephanie Starks was an amazing individual, she was mature far beyond her 14 years would suggest. She had a great laugh. She was a straight-A Honor Roll student, fluent in Spanish. I'm told that she had a love for animals and could often be found feeding the birds in our backyard and truly loved to help others. She was my only sister, my only sibling.
(Stephanie (13) and Precious Starks pregnant with Shelia Starks)
Stephanie passed at the age of 14. She became sick with flu-like symptoms during the Christmas Holidays. My Mom and Dad took her to the doctor several times, but each time they sent her home saying that she had the flu and to give her two Tylenol.
A few days later my Mom found Stephanie passed out on the bathroom floor. She rushed her to the hospital were she was diagnosed with Spinal Meningitis. She had all the symptoms except her neck was not stiff. Her neck needed to be stiff in order for the Doctor to begin treating her. There was a Christmas party going on at the hospital and the Doctor left to attend the party, waiting for Stephanie's neck to get stiff.
By the time he returned from the party, she was too far gone. He had made a fatal error that cost my sister her life. He rushed her into another room and soon after called a Code Blue. But it was too late. She died not of Spinal Meningitis, but Bacterial Meningitis on December 23. Your neck doesn't get stiff with Bacterial Meningitis.
Stephanie was born in Los Angeles, California. At the time of her death she was a Freshman at St. Mary's Girl Academy in Inglewood, California. She loved music, reading and was a caring person, very concerned about her community. She had dreams and hopes that were cut short all too soon. I was a little baby when my sister died and will forever wish I had even one memory of her. I often wonder about the woman she would have become, the sister she would have been. 
Stephanie Starks dreams and hopes, who she was, who she dreamed of being and what she represented are the driving forces behind the commitment of the Stephanie Starks HOPE Foundation. We are committed to do all the good we can, by all the means we can, in all the ways we can, in all the places we can, at all the times we can, for all the people we can, as long as ever we can to plant HOPE within the communities across the nation. My sister's life was cut short because of one individual's mistake. It is my dream to let her spirit live through the HOPE we provide to individuals through this foundation.
- Shelia Starks, SSHF Founder/Executive Director
