Maine West student dies of cancer

Family and friends will remember a Maine West High School senior who died after a long battle with brain cancer with a memorial service this weekend

Stephanie Valusescu, 18, died around 6:30 a.m. on Wednesday, and by the time school started, many students had already found out through social media, said Maine West Principal Audrey Haugan. The school made an announcement over the intercom that morning and opened up rooms with counselors that day.

Valusescu, a cheerleader at Maine West, will be remembered with a memorial service 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 29, at St. Emily’s Catholic Church, 1400 E. Central Road, Mount Prospect.

The Valusescu family has requested that attendees wear bright or pastel colors to honor their daughter’s life. They have also asked friends to bring photos and any notes with memories of how she effected their lives. They suggest that students arrive early because the service is expected to be very crowded.

Haugan said the death has hit the school hard, and that she expects many students and teachers to attend the memorial.

Last week during Maine West’s homecoming festivities, several fundraisers raised more than $18,000 for the Valusescu family. Stephanie’s friends presented the money and flowers to her mother at the homecoming assembly last Friday.

“Everyone was getting their hopes up for Stephanie that she would be strong enough to beat this,” Haugan said of last week’s fundraising efforts. “But obviously she wasn’t.”

Stephanie, an only child, had been fighting brain cancer since her sophomore year. She was in several advanced classes and continued to come to class during her junior year when she could and try to catch up. Although she didn’t cheer last year, she kept going to practices with the team until June, Haugan said.

Haugan said several events to remember her are in the works. She said it is tradition for the school to plant a tree when a student dies and that she will be remembered at the graduation ceremony next spring.

“She was a very popular girl; she was outgoing and had a great smile,” Haugan said. “She was a great friend to a lot of people and a beautiful young girl.”