Shakira Martin, American-born Jamaican model and beauty queen, Died at 30

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Shakira Martin was born on June 1, 1986, in Brooklyn, New York and died on August 3, 2016.

She was a Jamaican model.

Martin was best known for Miss Jamaica Universe, which she won the title in 2011.

Shakira’s family relocated to South Florida in 1989, but would visit her mother’s homeland of Jamaica frequently.

Martin was a student of Nova High School and graduated in 2004.

Then, she attended Broward College.

Pirior to becoming a model, Martin was a pre-school teacher.

She competed in a pageant in Miami and came in second.

Then a friend of Martin’s convinced her to compete in Miss Jamaica Universe.

She won the title of Miss Jamaica Universe in 2011 and used her crown as a platform to raise awareness for people affected by sickle cell anemia.

During 2011, Shakira Martin was a part of a toy drive that donated 400 toys to ill children in a Jamaican hospital.

Martin had modeled in several different countries such as Jamaica, Brazil, Canada and Haiti.

She was diagnosed with sickle cell anemia at 3 months old.

Her parents had been diagnose with the trait for the disease and thus had a 25 percent chance of giving it to a child. Her brother is also a carrier of the trait.

Reported by Martin’s mother, Martin was’t feeling well after a trip to Jamaica.

She died due to complications with sickle cell blood clots in both her lungs.

Shakira Martin passed away at 30 years old.