A 16-year-old who captured headlines seven years ago after being hit by a taxi has died suddenly after complaining of severe headaches.
Lillia Bartlow became a local celebrity in 2016 after she was hit by a taxi and broke both of her legs, before making a miraculous recovery and becoming a star cheerleader at Berkeley High School in California.
But the academically gifted teenager, who spoke three languages and was taking the prestigious International Baccalaureate Program, began experiencing severe headaches in January. The reason behind her recent bout with migraines had not been diagnosed.
According to the Berkeley Scannerthe 16-year-old went home early from school on Friday, before tragically dying just hours later at home.
“He was living with an angel,” said his father, Darryl Bartlow. She was as perfect as a human can be.
16-year-old Lillia Bartlow became a star cheerleader after making a miraculous recovery when she was nine years old.
The teenager was described by her father, Darryl Bartlow, as an “angel”. The two are pictured together
The schoolgirl’s unexpected death has shaken her Berkeley community, where she became a local hero after surviving the horrific collision in 2016.
Tiffany Sutherland, the teen’s cheerleading coach, said she and Lillia’s teammates are devastated by the news of her passing.
“His energy and his smile and his laughter helped everyone’s morale,” he said. “She never gave me a hard day, she never missed practice, she never missed a game.”
Less than a month before his unexpected death, Bartlow joined his cheerleading squad when he met California Congresswoman Barbara Lee during the recent launch of the official’s Senate campaign.
Speaking to KRON at the time of the accident, Lillia’s mother, Khadija, said the taxi hit both of them as they were crossing the street around 7:40 p.m.
The car crushed the then-fourth-grader, and her mother heartbreakingly told the outlet: “He took her from me, and she was still holding my hand, and I had to let her go.”
“It was just a blackout, and then I found myself on the ground,” the young man added.
After months of excruciating recovery, she began attending basketball games at her future high school, which ignited the fire for her to later join the cheerleading squad six years later.
Bartlow captured the hearts of his local community during his fight. He was told to his family that he may have had to use a wheelchair for over a year after the accident, but he made a miraculous recovery and was able to walk again within months.
The collision also led to an escalation of calls to the local authority to increase public lighting in the area, which were made shortly after the accident. “I just want people to know to be careful,” Lillia said at the time. “If you are crossing a place where there are no lights, watch out for the cars.”
“I wouldn’t wish an enemy to have to bear witness to his son, who suffers the way he does,” his father added.
Seven years later, heartbreaking tributes have poured in for the young woman after news of her sudden death spread throughout the community.
Moni Law, a family friend, said the sophomore had a “sweet, vibrant demeanor” and was a “lovely person inside and out.”
“He had an infectious enthusiasm for life and people,” he continued. ‘She had a maturity beyond her years. It was impressive how hard she worked to recover from that horrible car incident in 2016.’
Bartlow, third from left, met with Rep. Barbara Lee just a month before her death, when her cheerleading squad visited the official Senate candidacy announcement.
Her cheerleading coach added that the teen’s sudden loss will be felt throughout the team, describing her as a cheerleader for the cheerleading program.
“She was always the one to come up and say something sweet,” Sutherland said. “Hearing her laugh was just contagious.”
His recent successes have also included joining his local College Bound Academy, an organization that helps promising students get into college.
When news of his death broke, the non-profit organization said: ‘Words cannot express how sad our College Bound Academy family is at this time.
‘We will forever remember our Berkeley College Bound Academy Scholar, Lillia Bartlow! Such an inspiring and intelligent CB Scholar full of life.’
“Our hearts go out to the family of Lillia Bartlow at this very difficult time. Lillia was a wonderful and promising young woman who will be sorely missed at Berkeley High School and in the BUSD community,’ the Berkeley Unified School District said in a statement sent to SFGATE.