I first published this short article about Zeena Nicole Zahr back in 2014. To this day, I am incredibly moved by her spirit and creativity.
It’s never honest when you hear stories about the unexpected death of someone, especially such a young person. Zina Nicole Zahr was only 23 years old. No one knows exactly how she died, except that it is believed to have happened while walking on November 20, 2013. She suffered a serious head injury, likely from a rockfall on a trail outside Ouray, Colorado.
I stumbled upon Zeena’s story in 2014 when she suddenly caught the world’s attention thanks to a short video that surfaced online of her work as an animatronic and stop motion artist. Her eccentric creations and vision have appealed to tens of thousands of fans around the world. Where does such a person come from? How are they different from us? I can’t answer that question other than to say that maybe there is a bit of Zeena in all of us, although we all choose to turn that part of ourselves off as we get older. Some people find her eccentricity and openness too good to be true, I chalk it up to people’s envy.
If you search the Internet for stories about Zina, you will understand that there are two camps: those who admire her talent and free spirit, and those who consider her just weird. To the few pessimists I say: shame on you. Have you forgotten what it means to be inventive and have a wonderful sense of wonder? For me, Zeena ignited my faith in people and my determination to dare to dream. This is one of the reasons why I am probably posting here. However, I have said enough. The following video below is a look inside the world of this wonderful young woman.
