By Sarah Del Giallo
News editor
In her mother’s words, she lived tremendously.
Over the winter break, fourth-year new media student Cristina Taborda had a seizure in her sleep and died on Dec. 7, 2010.
Taborda was an avid community member. She made time for her friends and obligations, playing in her band Radio Belle (one of the 10 bands she was involved with), playing at a retirement home, and working for OMNI Portuguese.
She wasn’t prone to seizures. She suffered one for the first time last August and was waiting for an appointment with a neurologist at the time of her death.
“It came as a complete shock to me and to the doctors,” said Taborda’s mother, AnaBela.
She was in the process of finishing the last semester of her degree at Ryerson.
Taborda was a creative soul and poured her talents into the arts, loving film, painting and music.
In her spare time, she liked to listen to records.
“She needed to be creative,” said AnaBela.
Taborda was born in Vancouver, but moved with her family to Portugal when she was five.
In Portugal, she played music for a band called Cristy Tabs and eventually decided to return to Canada.
When she was 18, she moved to Toronto.
Close friend Jenny Johnston met Taborda through her step brother two years ago.
“She had a lot of energy and zest for life that you don’t really find in everyone. She was one of a kind,” said Johnston.
“The energy that came from her, everyone just wanted to be around her.”
When Taborda finished her degree at Ryerson, she wanted to find a placement where she could work in movie or commercial editing.
She was planning on taking a job where she could intern under a friend, so that she could continue focusing on her music.
“If we didn’t see each other every day, we’d talk on the phone. It’s hard not having that person anymore. There’s so much I already want to tell her,” said Johnston.
“It will be hard not to have her here.
Photo courtesy of Anabela Tarboda
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