Yesterday, 11-year-old Shannon Taverez lost her courageous battle to acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Shannon played a leading role in the Broadway version of The Lion King.
This sweet young star touched the hearts of thousands with her beautiful voice and compelling story. The country reached out their hands when they heard she needed a bone marrow transplant back in the spring. Celebs including Alicia Keys, Rihanna, 50 Cent and 10,000 others rushed to her aid.
Unfortunately, none of the donors matched her. Instead, Shannon underwent an umbilical cord transplant in August. She’s since been receiving treatment at the Cohen Children’s Medical Center in Long Island, where she passed away on Monday.
Although she didn’t live a long life, her radiant smile and positive attitude will live on. The world will remember her upbeat spirit, perseverance and ambition.
“It’s rare that you meet such a spirited girl at such a young age,” according to Katharina Harf, who runs a donation center, as she was quoted on CBS. “She touched so many people to register. She was really, really a special girl.” You can larn more about getting swabbed at DKMS and you can learn more about Shannon here.
Enjoy Tavarez singing “Tomorrow” from the Broadway show Annie below.
Screengrab via YouTube.