Leesha Ahuna Memorial Scholarship

The Leesha Ahuna Memorial Scholarship was established to celebrate the life of Leesha by remembering her love of learning and rewarding those individuals who share her talent and desire for higher education.

Leesha Kaulana Ahuna of Hawaiian ancestry was born June 23, 1993 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Leesha is remembered for her robust and somewhat weird sense of humor, love of animals, art, music, books, soccer, and her deep abiding faith in God.

Leesha was an avid musician whose talent included the flute, self taught on the saxophone, keyboard and drums. Leesha's love for the arts inspired her to audition and compete in as many band competitions as possible including the Oklahoma Youth Philharmonic Orchestra.

Along with Leesha's love of music, she hungered to read so much so that her library privileges were reduced because she read too many books. When Leesha wasn't playing her flute or reading a good book, she was out playing soccer. Leesha was a remarkable soccer player with hopes of playing on the Oklahoma State University women's soccer team.

She was in excellent physical condition passing her sports physical just a few months before her heart failed. On August 10, 2009, a virus caused Leesha's heart to stop; she was kept on life support until she received a heart transplant on August 15, 2009.

During Leesha's recovery, she studied at home, eventually returning to school half days. Despite being heavily medicated, she was able to maintain a 4.0 GPA and she received a score of 25 on her first ACT. Leesha's recovery was coming along well and she was finally beginning to re-enter the world of sports, band, and fun.

Leesha's life ended suddenly on July 26, 2010, the same day OSU mailed her acceptance letter. As a heart transplant recipient, she encouraged organ donations. Due to some family's kindness, she was given 11 additional months to share her life and near death experience. Those that listened to her recollections of the Angels that came to her on August 10, 2009 have a renewed faith in God and the afterlife.