Paying Tribute to Debra Balderrama

Early morning on Tuesday 3/12, Debra was rushed to the emergency room after being sick and fainting in her home.

After many tests, they discovered that Debra likely was in septic shock and she was admitted into the ICU. Later that evening she was placed on a ventilator after her body became very tired.

They would then find a staph infection in her blood. After even more tests they determined that her kidneys and liver were beginning to fail and they would then place her on dialysis.

The surgeon became worried that she had an obstruction within her bowels which could have been the cause of the infection. Debra’s doctors and family agreed it best that undergo the incredibly high-risk procedure to try and discover and remove the source of her increasing sickness.

Shortly after being taken to surgery in the early morning of 3/13, the surgeon discovered that many of Debra’s organs were already necrotic and black, there was nothing that they could do. She would not be waking up from the surgery. She was then closed up and carefully returned to the ICU where she was then made comfortable.

The nurses and doctors did everything in their power to keep Debra going long enough for her family to gather, including her out-of-state brother who flew down that day, to say their goodbyes.

Debra was an incredible teacher, friend, nurse, cousin, aunt, sister, daughter, and most importantly mother and wife. Her husband Steve, and daughter Ashley, are heavily heartbroken from this loss but are also appreciative of the support system that Debra built with the people around her.

Debra will be buried at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills, where her and Steve’s first child, Brandon, is also laid to rest. A companion plot will be purchased so that when it is Steve’s time in the far-off future, he will be able to join his wife and firstborn.

The Balderrama/Sierra family have requested financial aid to ensure that Debra’s services are a celebration of her life and honoring the woman she was. The family is so incredibly thankful for all the positive thoughts and prayers that have been sent their way. With Debs' spirit at their side, they will each carry a piece of her for the rest of their lives.