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Health & Fitness

Women's History Month: Honoring Point Boro's Soraya Lamilla (March 11th, 1969 - May 10th, 2006)

Women's History Month: Honoring Pt. Pleasant Borough's Soraya Lamilla (March 11th, 1969 - May 10th, 2006)

In my little town I grew up 'believing' because incredible people - like Soraya Lamilla - were always within my reach to watch.  

Soraya Raquel Lamilla Cuevas was born on March 11th, 1969 at Point Pleasant Hospital and passed away in Miami on May 10th, 2006. 

To celebrate Women's History Month it's an honor to share Soraya's story and her legacy. She was a creative and intelligent young woman whose passion for music, poetry and breast cancer awareness made a difference in the lives of others across the globe.

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Soraya, who used only her first name during her career, succumbed to breast cancer at the age of 37. Upon her death, Gannett Newspapers and the Asbury Park Press wrote, “Soraya stood out at Point Borough and around the world.”  

She was a remarkable woman with many gifts and a purpose.  She was Point  Borough High School's 1987 Valedictorian. And if you followed her brilliant short life, you knew something magical and special embraced this gifted child who transformed before our eyes into one of the most beautiful women on the planet. 

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Many students call me "Mrs. Ferg" in the halls of the Loren D. Donley Center For The Performing Arts at the Borough High School. Teenage performers like Soraya always managed to leave wonderful moments and performance details etched in the hearts and minds of local fans like me. 

With joy, I've yelled "Bravo" since 1973 to make my point everytime the echo of magnificent voices inside this auditorium moves me to my feet. Soraya was no exception - her talent and the eclectic mix in her awesome repertoire fascinated me at every turn.

As a child, 'our town's' gorgeous American daughter of Lebanese immigrants to Colombia travelled from her Point Borough home to Cali, Colombia - her family's hometown - so her earliest musical influences included a mixture of Colombian folk and pop, as well as American artists such as Carole King and Fleetwood Mac. 

"Our" Soraya sang and wrote flawlessly in Spanish and English and we loved it!  She shined on the stage in front of local audiences who adored her; when she travelled across the Route 35 Bridge on her way to Rutgers University with determination and many goals, the good wishes of our community went with her. 

She graduated from Rutgers with a dual degree in English literature and French philosophy. Each success was followed by a new success leaving her local fans pleased.

Our hometown gal played at coffee houses across New Jersey before giants in the music industry discovered what we - her local fans - already knew. The caliber of her talent was absolutely incredible! They signed her and her introduction to the entire world began. Beyond her striking silhouette, none of us saw the dark shadow that would steal her from us during the second act of her young adult life.

By age 31 - when the first diagnosis of cancer arrived - she had already scored No. 1 hits all over Latin America and Europe. Soraya enjoyed sold-out shows worldwide, working with Rod Argent and Carole King, touring with Sting, Michael Bolton, Natalie Merchant and Zucchero, and recorded duets with Japanese multimedia artist Ryuichi Sakamoto, German singer Erkan Aki and Arab superstar Andy. 

Every time I caught a news clip of Soraya's achievements, from deep within I rejoiced with a quiet "You go, girl!" When she beat her cancer into remission, I cheered, "You go, girl!" again.

When she was inducted into the 2000 Alumni Hall of Fame by The Point Pleasant Foundation for Excellence in Education - the local standing ovation welcomed her home!   

In 1996, Soraya was voted MTV Latino Best Video by a Female Artist for “De Repente.” Dozens of other awards followed. This global and Ocean County recording star and Latin Grammy winner used her fame to become an influential spokesperson for the Susan G. Komen Foundation, the National Institute of Health, Cancer Cares, and other organizations dedicated to education and awareness of breast cancer around the globe.

None of us could have imagined that she would become one of the most recognized voices in the Latino music world, who also volunteered to become “The Voice” in the international Hispanic community in the fight against a disease that had already taken the life of her mother, aunt and grandmother. The title song of her first album, 1996's "En Esta Noche/On Nights Like This," was a tribute to her mom's struggle.

If this disease ever touched the life of someone in your first circle, then you can only imagine what the outreach of this sensational international mega-star meant to women and families in small villages and communities throughout the world.  In 2004, she was poignantly honored by Billboard Magazine with its Spirit of Hope Award. 

Nothing could stop the rhythm of Soraya's movement against breast cancer.  It didn't matter where she was performing because her enchanting voice represented a 'common language' that was understood by people who spoke any language in any room. The content of her outbound messages helped victims of this disease survive and helped families cope.

Before she died, she courageously wrote, "My physical history may come to an end, but I am sure that the one that exists in your hearts will be present for all eternity. I'm confident that my existence will leave a footprint in your lives and benefit many women in the future." 

All these years later and Mrs. Ferg is still applauding as the refrain from my soul screams out, "Bravo Soraya!  Well done Sweetheart - the intensity of your indelible footprint still lives on in the hearts of millions - including mine!"

Soraya's commitment to this cause that found her was extraordinary. It was as if she was holding the guitar her parents gave her at age 5 and the violin she loved to play as she created the perfect pitch and a tempo all her own to write this to fans - including me - the day before she died:

“I have not lost this battle, because I know the fight was not in vain. Instead it will help end a larger battle, which is early detection to prevent this terrible disease.”  

In celebration of Women's History Month, I'm proud to honor Soraya Lamilla - our beloved poetic artist and musician - who lit up the stage at the Loren D. Donley Performing Arts Center during her teen years and went on to shine her own special light on the world.  She educated others about the disease that took her life; and she leveraged her amazing voice to speak a common language for the benefit of women everywhere. 

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