Sasha Maria Bartin

Had a call from my mother yesterday. Couldnt understand what she was saying. She was trying to tell me that my cousins daughter had died aged just 13. Sasha had been born with a heart problem but had never let it stop her doing anything. She had had a few ops and used to go to Bristol for check ups. She seemed to be doing fine and was out playing football on Saturday. I spoke to her grandfather my uncle yesterday and it was heartbreaking to hear him cry and tell me how he would change places with her if he could.
She was so young with so much to live for. I sadly had never got the chance to met her.
She was at school yesterday and collasped. My heart goes out to all our family and all Sasha's friends who must be in terrible shock right now. She was such a popular girl, so friendly and happy.
Your were your granddads little Princess and I know that it is going to be so hard for everyone to try and carry on without you.
You big sister Naomi and your little brother Lewis are going to miss you so much. Look over them all and keep them strong. Help them get through this. As for my cousin Katrina, Sasha's mother. I send you my love and pray as all our family will that you can come through this and be strong. When you are at your lowest remember just how much your family love you and care.
God bless Sasha, rest in peace sweet teenage Princess.
Tragedy strikes Yeovil school
4:20pm Tuesday 9th September 2008
A FAMILY and school are in mourning this week after the death of 13-year-old Sasha Bartin.

Sasha collapsed while at Westfield Community School in Yeovil and tragically died yesterday. It is understood that she had been born with a heart problem, but had never let her medical condition get in the way of her doing anything.

The school, which has only just returned following the summer holidays, has been left in an obvious state of shock.

A statement was today released by Somerset County Council on behalf of Westfield School whose head teacher Chris Hunt only officially took over the role last week at the start of the new academic year.

“Sasha was an extremely popular member of a close knit year group and was universally liked,” the statement read.

“She was small of stature but had a giant sized personality. She was a ray of sunshine wherever she went.

“She was lively, funny, cheeky and lovable and played a full part in all activities both within her tutor group and the school in general.

“She always volunteered and made a huge contribution to life at Westfield. She will leave a huge gap in our lives, but will never be forgotten.”

The Express has respected the council’s wishes by not contacting Sasha’s family at this terrible and tragic time

School tribute to 'angel' Sasha, 13
Friday, September 12, 2008, 10:00
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A SCHOOL field has been tuned into a shrine to a "smiling angel" pupil who died suddenly after collapsing at school.
Tributes have poured in for 13-year-old Sasha Bartin, who became ill while warming up for a hockey match on Monday morning.
The Year 9 pupil at Westfield community School, Yeovil, Somerset, was taken to Yeovil District Hospital but never recovered and died with her parents at her bedside.
Sasha had been born with a heart condition but it never stopped her living a normal life.
Staff and fellow pupils at Westfield broke down in tears when the announcement of her death was made and a book of condolences was opened on Tuesday.
Her grieving family said Sasha was always smiling. Dad Glynn Cooper said: "She is an angel now and was an angel when she was alive.
"She was so young and this never should have happened."
The grounds of Westfleld Community School in Yeovil, where Sasha Bartin was taken ill on Monday morning during a PE lesson, now resemble a shrine for the popular pupil who was, as her father described, just becoming a woman.
Hundreds of flowers and messages show how much she will be missed, and social networking site Bebo has been overrun with moving messages from those who knew her.
In a tearful statement, mother Katrina, step-father Neil, sister Naomi and brother Lewis of West-field Grove, Yeovil, chose a phrase the family used to say to put Sasha to bed at night: "Sweet dreams, God bless and hallelujah."
In their own touching, written message to their younger sister, Naomi and Lewis said: "Sasha, I miss you so much already, you will always be my baby sister and there is not one day I will not remember you; your smile, your bright eyes."
Mr Cooper said the support everyone had shown had been of great comfort to the whole family, which includes step-mother Bev Worker and half-brothers and sister Jordan Mullis, Keaton and Kionna.
Mr Cooper said: "She was fun-loving and always smiling. She always made everyone happy.
"She was an excellent, fantastic daughter.
"I could not want to wish for a better daughter."
A memorial is being planned at the school, possibly in the form of a bench.
Sasha's former head of year, Paul Rose, said: "She was a ray of sunshine wherever she went."
A funeral date is yet to be confirmed, but Mr Cooper said one idea was for everybody to bring a pink balloon, with their own message to Sasha and let them all float off into the sky.
Sasha's mum: I blame no-one
Thursday, September 18, 2008, 15:00
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THE mother of a 13-year-old girl who died after collapsing during a PE lesson was due to make an emotional trip to her school yesterday to meet the teacher who took the fateful lesson.
Speaking publicly for the first time since the death of Sasha Bartin, mum Katrina Gardiner said she was horrified by national media reports over the past week, which claimed the member of staff was at fault for pushing her daughter, who had a heart condition, too hard.
The teacher is understood to be very shaken by the reports and has been signed off work at Westfield Community School with stress.
But Katrina and Sasha's stepdad, Neil, said they were planning to give a bouquet to the woman and tell her there was nothing more she could have done and they did not blame her at all.
Mrs Gardiner said: "We know the teacher is in a bad way and feels like she is to blame and is not handling it well. But in no way do we blame her or the school and we are going down there, with flowers, to tell her that personally.
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"From our point of view, we are just a normal, private family living in a normal town. We just want to do the best by Sasha and she would not have wanted any of this."
A post mortem held at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London last week proved inconclusive and further tests are being carried out ahead of an inquest.
Sasha had been born with a narrow heart valve and was having to wait until she was 18 for an operation to repair it, but the family said her condition never stopped her living a normal life.
Mrs Gardiner said: "She was an active girl who lived life to the full. She was always playing sport, especially football. If she felt unwell that day she would have refused to do it. She was very stubborn at times.
"Despite quotes appearing from me, I have not even spoken to any other newspapers. I have said no to them all and what has been published has all been out of order and has got to stop. We just want to be left alone. Sasha would not have wanted all of this.
"She was a normal 13-year-old girl and I cannot understand why she is getting all this attention."
But Mrs Gardiner did say Sasha would have been thrilled by the hundreds of messages on Bebo and by the number of floral tributes left at the school.
"She would have loved all of that and the children have really done her proud. She would have been thrilled to bits.
"She was special and really was one of a kind. I did not realise she had so many friends."
Her funeral is being held at Yeovil Crematorium at 2.30pm next Thursday and her coffin will be carried by horse and cart.
Headteacher Chris Hunt said: "Staff, students and governors were concerned with the nature of some of the reporting of the events last week in some national press.
"On Monday morning Sasha's parents came in to see me to express their concern that the views represented in some of these reports did not in any way reflect their feelings towards the school.
"They wanted everyone here to know that they did not feel the school and its staff were in any way at fault.
"At Sasha's mother's request she met with the PE teacher involved to express her concern over some of the press coverage. They also discussed a number of ways in which students at the school wished to celebrate Sasha's life and visited a potential site for a permanent memorial.
"We continue to enjoy good relationships with both parents especially regarding Sasha's brothers and sisters."

Funeral today 25/9/2008. My heart and thoughts are with my family today. I am sorry I will not be there but I will be thinking of you all. xxxx

Hockey death girl's funeral held

Sasha had suffered from heart problems since birth
The funeral has taken place of a 13- year-old schoolgirl who died while warming up for a school hockey match.

Sasha Bartin, a pupil at Westfield Community School in Yeovil, who had suffered heart problems since she was a child, died in the town's hospital.

Some 900 children from the school lined the route to the crematorium on Thursday.

A Westfield School spokesman said Sasha was an extremely popular pupil who was universally liked.

Sasha was taken to Yeovil District Hospital on Monday 8 September but later died with her parents at her bedside.

She had suffered from heart problems since birth and after having operations when she was younger, had regular check ups at Bristol Children's Hospital.

Hundreds of flowers and messages were left on the school playing field and a memorial bench is being planned.

Her page on the social networking site Bebo has been inundated with messages of tribute and shock from friends.

Her sister Naomi said in one message: "Best sister in the world. I just want u to remember how much i love u and u will always be in my head and heart ok."