Junior Sara Porto passed away unexpectedly Jan. 30, 2009 in her home, just five months short of her 17th birthday. She is survived by her parents, Phil and Kelly Porto, and her two older brothers, Anthony and Nick.

Sara loved ballet and was a member of the Chicago Festival of Ballet. She began dancing at the Von Heidecke School of Ballet at age three and performed in numerous productions making lasting friendships along the way.

“Sara made friends with people right away,” said senior Missy Meyer, who danced with Sara for 14 years.

“She made you feel like you were important and wanted to know everything that was happening [in your life],” Meyer said.

Along with dancing, Sara made many relationships at Snowball.

“She dances ballet, and I do Irish dancing…at Snowball, we had a little dance-off,” junior Nora Foley said. “She’s probably one of the toughest girls I’ve met.”

Classmates, friends and teachers attended her wake Feb. 2 at St. Peter and Paul Catholic Church Ministry Center.

In the foyer, visitors stood in line to write notes to her. In a poem written for Sara, sophomore Timothy Gorski writes,

“you made your path

by loving all of us

your death will not be in vain,

a dud in the dust,

it shall remain forever

in me and all of us.”

Many who attended the wake shares Gorski’s sentiments.

“I could always talk with her and it didn’t matter if I did anything wrong,” Meyer said. “She was always there for me”

Priscilla Liu

Staff Writer