Liel Dena Pink

Liel Dena Pink, 21, fought like a badass warrior for 3 years while enduring a rare mitochondrial disease. Survived by her family, who will be extra curious, kind & grateful in her honor: parents Tamar Fenton & David Pink; siblings Aiden (Aniko), Asher (Shira), & Ronen; grandparents Dorothy & Norman Pink & Judy Fenton; aunts, uncles & 19 cousins who admired her feisty spirit and incredible strength. Also survived by closest friends Alexa, Leila, Julia, Ellie, Ryan, Noah, Brody & Aunty Dora (Zaidenweber). We are so grateful to those who supported Liel's health & spirit in her life and helped her leave this world peacefully, at home, surrounded by love: Dr. Rachelle Hansen; Tamar Green; hospice team Dr. Goldish, Michelle, Sam, Jeanne; care support godsends Eunice, Asha, Lydiah, Nami. As a child, Liel was a bundle of energy and a Harry Potter fanatic, someone who, even at a young age, had strong opinions and was happy to share them. In her teen years, her passions and escapades were eclectic: She kickboxed, wrote a book to demystify mental health for children, entered poetry slams, volunteered for scientific studies at the U, was a Reading Partners tutor, went undercover to identify stores selling tobacco to minors for Tobacco Free Alliance MN, amassed 200,000 TikTok followers with her humorous anecdotes, and learned ASL to be a "Big Sister" to a deaf child. Liel didn't let her illness stop her. In May '22, she achieved her goal of graduating in 3 years, with a B.S in Community Health summa cum laude from Hofstra University. Our gratitude goes to the faculty of her department who provided a pathway for Liel to continue learning virtually, which she did from hospital beds and at home on hospice. Special thanks to Dr. Sharon Phillips, Dr. Israel Schwartz, Prof. Margie Bass, & Dean Anthony Porcelli. Besides graduating top of her class, she received an award given annually to one graduate to recognize their academic achievement, community service, and potential for professional leadership, as well as the Dean's Award, only given out 3 times before in Hofstra's history. Liel's unique circumstances enabled her to develop deeper relationships with her professors, who were blown away by Liel's academic abilities, sense of humor, & unique insights. In a moving virtual graduation ceremony, several of the faculty spoke of her resilience, how inspirational she was, and her impact on them and the university. Dr. Schwartz said, "I have worked with thousands of students and been to many graduations, and yours will stand out by far as the most rewarding. Hofstra is now a better institution because we had the privilege of having you as a student." We were blessed to have had funny, brilliant, sassy, loving, beautiful Liel in our lives for 21 years. She had an immeasurable ability to love, and her courage was monumental. We will love, adore, and cherish her forever. Funeral on Friday, August 5, 10:30 AM. Adath Jeshurun,10500 Hillside Ln. Mntka. Shiva Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, 7:00 PM at Adath. Arrangements by Chevra Kavod Hamet and Washburn McReavy. A Fund is established in Liel's memory at Hofstra, to support Community Health Dept. scholarships. Donations can be made at https://spark.hofstra.edu/liel. Tributes also appreciated to the Minnesota JCC or donor's preference.

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Liel Dena Pink

May 10, 2001 - August 4, 2022

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