SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — In a house filled with flowers, pictures, and hundreds of cards Eloise Jean Leflore is surrounded by grief as she mourns the loss of her 35-year-old daughter Aisha Haskins-Stephens.
“I keep waiting for her to come through the door,”
Eloise Jean Leflore, mother of Aisha Haskins-Stephens
It’s a moment that will unfortunately never come after her daughter was trampled during a concert stampede at Main Street Armory in Rochester on March 5. Aisha passed away three days later from her injuries at Strong Memorial Hospital.
Leflore recalls a conversation she had with Aisha as she was on her way to the concert with friends, at the time she didn’t know it would be their last.
“I said okay alright have fun be safe and I love you and I didn’t know, I didn’t know that was the last time I was gonna see her alive my baby alive I didn’t know. Every parent, tell your child you love them make that your last words,” Leflore said through tears.
Leflore believes her daughter’s death could have been prevented if one of the thousands of people who trampled over her simply picked her up off the floor.
“It was horrible, they killed my baby, it was horrible,”
Eloise Jean Leflore, mother of Aisha Haskins-Stephens
The family has retained legal counsel from long-time civil rights champion, Attorney Ben Crump.
While Leflore couldn’t comment on the pending litigation she’s now trying to find comfort in memories from Aisha’s childhood as a cheerleader and dancer to her adult life as a mentor and leader for kids in Syracuse.
“That was her mission to make sure each one of the kids were happy and successful in everything they do and if they failed she was there to pick them up,” Leflore said.
Remembering her legacy as a caretaker, fixer, peacemaker, and organ donor.
“My prayer is that each donor and each organ took and that she did save five lives,” Leflore said.
Leflore has created a scholarship fund in Aisha’s memory to benefit graduating seniors pursuing higher education.
Monetary donations can be sent to the following address:
Scholarship Fund-Aisha Katherine Haskins-Stephens, c/o Eloise Jean Leflore, 322 Coolidge Ave, Syracuse, NY 13207.