‘Too good for this world’: Girl who sang with rock star and danced with Rams cheerleaders has died

Delilah Loya made her debut as an honorary Los Angeles Rams cheerleader at SoFi Stadium in December 2022.

Since 2019, the 8-year-old girl from Bakersfield has been undergoing arduous chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and radiation treatments to combat Stage IV neuroblastoma. But she was living a dream that day.

Her eyes gleamed as she rushed across the pitch wearing a personalized cheer squad uniform and shook yellow pompoms.

She declared, “This is the best day of my life,” in an Instagram video. “My strength will help me overcome cancer.”

Delilah battled valiantly. Her mother Samantha Loya Serrata shared the news of her death on social media on Sunday, two months short of turning ten.

In an Instagram post, Loya Serrata stated, “We will keep traveling and spreading your love and light all over the world.” “You were taken far too soon, so we will live for you.”

At four years old, Delilah was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a disease that normally affects children under five years old and develops in developing nerve cells. Her family routinely traveled from Bakersfield to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles so that she might receive medical care.

Read more: These L.A. health teams go door to door with a question: What do you need?

Influencer Isaiah Garza saw Delilah’s family’s social media story after they posted it. Garza assisted in setting up a meeting with Plain White T’s lead singer Tom Higgenson, in addition to Delilah’s day spent with the Rams cheerleaders. Higgenson entered Delilah’s hospital room in January while performing her all-time favorite song, “Hey There Delilah,” which is also her name.

The family renamed a nonprofit company they founded in March with the intention of helping families whose children are receiving cancer treatment by covering some of the associated expenses.

“You were too good for this world,” her mother wrote on Instagram. “Rest easy my sweet beautiful girl.”