Sienna Ratila is being remembered as an energetic girl who loved her friends “more than anything”.
The 13-year-old Mooroopna girl died on Friday, March 11, following a long battle with mental health.
Her step mum Roxanne Ratila said Sienna always wanted to be with her friends.
“As soon as the sun came up on a Saturday she’d ask to be dropped in town and if we were too busy she’d say ‘I’m catching the bus then, I’m not waiting for you’,” she said.
“Sienna loved being out of the house, even when she was little she wanted to be outside.
“She loved to listen to music – all day long.”
Sienna was in Year 8 at Greater Shepparton Secondary College’s Invergordon SPARC program.
“Sienna was at the top of her class when she was in school but in the playground she was a completely different child,” Ms Ratila said.
“I think she did enjoy school, and not just for seeing her friends, but all together.”
A candlelight vigil is being held on Wednesday, March 23 at the Mooroopna football oval, McLennan St, Mooroopna, at 7pm in Sienna’s memory.
Her parents sought help for Sienna but felt her depression wasn’t being acknowledged and they had been taking her to see a psychologist in Melbourne every fortnight.
“Sienna had been dealing with mental health for a long time and the past two years she really struggled,” Ms Ratila said.
She urged for anyone going through a dark time to “speak to somebody”.
“It doesn’t matter who it is – your school teacher, mum, nan, uncle, anyone – don’t do this alone,” she said.
And if parents had children come to them with concerns she said it was important to take it seriously.
“Don’t just brush it off; take them to get help,” she said.
“Anytime Sienna did anything at all we took her straight to the emergency department.”
In a letter to GSSC families, executive principal Barbara O’Brien offered sympathy to Sienna’s family and friends and said the school’s wellbeing team would be available to support students and staff.
“Our focus is on restoring wellbeing and ensuring everyone’s safety,” she said.
“We know students are going to be affected in different ways and for varying periods of time.”
Sienna was an older sister to four siblings and had three step siblings.
More than 100 people have contributed to a GoFundMe organised by Sienna’s aunt Katie Mulcahy.
To donate visit gofund.me/f663eb40
If you or someone you know needs help, call Lifeline on 131 114 or Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636.