Compelling 2018 grad: MOT Charter's Juanita Ortiz survived Kenyan Mall attack
As more than 8,000 high school seniors move into high season for graduations, we'd like to introduce you to three notable young women who will soon zip into caps and gowns.
MOT Charter's Juanita Ortiz is determined to be successful after surviving the 2013 attack in a Nairobi, Kenya, mall, where her father died.
Look on www.delawareonline.com for stories about Tower Hills' Zara Ali and St. Mark's senior Hanna Daneker.
Ali and her sister turned some of their savings into a program that would help Mumbai, India, artisans support themselves and their families.
Daneker finds focus and meaning in her love for the equestrian competition of eventing after surviving surgery for a brain tumor the size of a tennis ball.
Juanita Ortiz
On each anniversary of her father’s death, MOT Charter senior Juanita Ortiz writes down her feelings and reminds herself of why she is here.
“My dad, I made him a hero. He saved me,” she recalled of the day when Juan Ortiz was shot and killed by extremists. “I have to make him proud.”
Ortiz was 13 on Nov. 21, 2013, and looking for parking at a mall in Nairobi, Kenya, where they had gone for a birthday party. A bang. Screams. People running.
Juan Ortiz was was among 67 victims killed; she was among 175 wounded, with bullets in her left hand and leg. Unable to walk, she was stuck in the car for two hours with her slain father until rescuers arrived.
“It was a lot to take,” she said. “I questioned why Dad had to die, and I was the one to live.
Her father was Peruvian; her mother, Patience Elliott, is Liberian. Ortiz was born in Pennsylvania and grew up in Africa. After the tragedy, mother and daughter moved among relatives in the U.S. for a few months while Ortiz had therapy and studied online.
In 2014, Elliott resumed her career as a social worker with a Delaware job, and Ortiz entered MOT Charter.
“The school has helped me find my strength,” Ortiz said. “The teachers have always been understanding. I didn’t need to hide. It helps me get out of my struggles.” Teachers warned her of sensitive material, but only once — during TV coverage of a terroristic attack — has she chosen to leave class.
She has trouble writing for long periods (she’s left-handed) and is left with scars and metal plates.
Mental wounds were intense. “I hated going outside. It brought me anxiety and bad memories. I thought something bad would happen.” A life-simulation video game provided a surprising respite.
“The Sims 3 helped me regain some control I lost. In this game, I controlled everything. It brought me a sense of calm," she said. "It brought back memories of Nairobi. It made me happy. I still play it a lot.”
The game also led to a career: She’ll study architecture at Catholic University of America, inspired by the ability to create virtual houses. “It was at first tedious, but then I enjoyed personalizing them.”
Compelling 2018 grad:
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“She’s a very selfless person,” said best friend Maya Tann. “She always cherishes friendships and relationships as if she wouldn’t see you tomorrow. It taught her how to never take things for granted.”
Each year, on her father’s birthday, at the suggestion of friend Nywel Cheaye, she releases a few balloons and says a few prayers.
“Pain is not permanent," Ortiz said. "You don't have to give up."
DELAWARE GRADS AND GRADUATION