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Makeesha Starks Brought Joy To Hospital, Now They Want To Help Her Family

 Makeesha Starks, 26, was shot and killed late Wednesday, police said.
Makeesha Starks, 26, was shot and killed late Wednesday, police said.
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Facebook/Makeesha Starks

CHICAGO — A student at Rush Medical Center is raising money to help pay for the funeral of Makeesha Starks, one of three people shot dead in a domestic incident late Wednesday.

Starks worked at Au Bon Pain, the late-night eatery where Rush Medical Center doctors and students would stop by after long days, said Maggie Iwanicki, a graduating medical student. Starks, funny and bright, would help them let off steam, giving Iwanicki "normalcy and happiness" in times of stress.

RELATED: Englewood Family Reeling After 3 Relatives Shot Dead: 'I Don't Believe It'

“When we thought we were having a tough day or didn’t feel great, we kind of sought her out just because she was always really positive and always really sweet,” Iwanicki said.

Hearing about the death of Starks — who was gunned down alongside her father, Jerome Wright, and the mother of her nephew, Kiara Kinard, before the suspected killer shot himself — has left Iwanicki "heartbroken," she said.

Seeking to help, Iwanicki is raising money on GoFundMe to help pay for Starks' funeral. She raised more than $2,200 in less than a day and plans to give the money to Starks' mother.

(Left to right) Makeesha Starks, 26; Jerome Wright, 50; and Kiara Kinard, 26, were shot and killed in a domestic incident. [Facebook]

Iwanicki met Starks three or four years ago, she said, and began to rely on her for a pick-me-up after a long day. Starks would ask about Iwanicki's studies and crack jokes. Her laughter, a "he he he," was infectious, Iwanicki said.

“I think she treated everyone just as warm and kind as she did me,” Iwanicki said. “And I know that because … people are upset. And they’ve all kind of said the same thing: ‘She was so sweet. How could this happen?’”

Starks always put "good energy" into the world, Iwanicki said, and her attitude helped those around her. She could serve as a lesson to others, Iwanicki said.

“I think that she would never realize the impact that her just being herself had on the people around her in the hospital,” Iwanicki said. “... These interactions, they are so small and they seem like nothing, but they really did help me keep going on certain days.

“And I regret that she never got to know that she was important [to] a lot more people’s lives than I think she realized.”

Click Here To Donate To The GoFundMe For Makeesha Starks' Family

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