Girl whose cancer battle prompted concert dies

Published: Wednesday, November 7, 2007 12:00 AM CST

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (AP) - The end came suddenly, but peacefully, for 13-year-old Sahara Aldridge.

The southeast Missouri eighth-grader whose 18-month battle with brain-stem cancer prompted a free concert last year in Cape Girardeau by pop singer Rick Springfield died Monday night.

Shannon Aldridge said his daughter died peacefully after a long day of physical therapy.

“About 7:10 I heard her take a breath and close her eyes,” he said. “I thought she was taking a nap.”

A public memorial service was planned for 1 p.m. Saturday at Lynwood Baptist Church in Cape Girardeau.

Springfield, whose string of 1980s hits included “Jessie's Girl” and “I've Done Everything for You,” performed last December at the Show Me Center. Proceeds went to Sahara's family. Springfield also used his Web site to encourage fans to support the Aldridge family spiritually and financially.

Springfield is a longtime friend of the family.

Sahara's death came at a time when she seemed to be making progress against the disease. Just days ago, she returned from California, where doctors at Stanford University removed 70 percent of the tumor and determined it wasn't as aggressive as first thought.

“There's been so many days over the last 17 months that I thought maybe, that was the day that would be the last day, but yesterday I didn't have that feeling. It caught me completely off guard,” Shannon Aldridge said.

Sahara's battle was waged publicly. Regular updates were posted on her blog site, www.saharaaldridge.com. Individuals and businesses in Cape Girardeau contributed time and money to help the family.

Since Sahara's death, more than 100 comments have been posted on her blog site expressing sorrow.

“Shocked beyond belief,” one wrote. “Typing through tears. We know that spirit was so strong. That little body had just been through so much.”


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kmimie00 wrote on Nov 8, 2007 7:57 AM:

" God bless that family and God bless that little girl for being so strong, she is in a better place now and is at peace! My thoughts and prayers go out to the family! "

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