Amira Akua Coggins, whose indomitable spirit transformed every medical prediction into a celebration of life, died peacefully at home, exactly as she wished. Having outlived multiple medical prognoses, including a recent six-month prediction by eighteen months, she remained a beacon of faith and resilience until her final day.
From her earliest days in Springfield, Massachusetts, through her time in Hartford, Connecticut, and Blytheville, Tennessee, before settling in North Carolina. Ms. Coggins’ journey was marked by persistent defiance of limitations. Diagnosed with sickle cell anemia at birth, doctors told her mother, Constance, that she wouldn't survive passed age 12, let alone 20. Yet she, not only, survived, but also, thrived - building a multi-faceted career and creating a family she was told she could never have.
Her creative spirit led her to pursue modeling and acting. She appeared as an extra in Tyler Perry's, "Madea's Family Reunion" and "Juwanna Mann." She also working behind the scenes in the Bollywood production, "Ta Ra Rum Pum." She briefly studied graphic design at Durham Technical Community College. She explored multiple career paths, such as banking and retail at Northgate Mall establishments including Piercing Pagoda, Carousel, and a Hat Store. She later found fulfillment as a nanny in Chapel Hill and Durham, North Carolina.
In 1998, she celebrated her first medical miracle with the birth of her daughter, Jahzamire. Four years later, she welcomed her "miracle child," son Jonathan. Ms. Coggins maternal devotion became legendary - she never let her health challenges prevent her from celebrating her children's achievements, from birthdays to graduations. Her generous heart extended beyond biological ties, leading to a loving relationship with her bonus son, Lamont.
A survivor in every sense, Ms. Coggins emerged from two house fires - one that singed her left eyebrow and another that destroyed her apartment complex. Even after suffering a brain aneurysm, she maintained her characteristic determination to be present for her family's important moments.
Her love of ice cream became a metaphor for how she lived - sharing sweetness at unexpected moments. She was known for surprising people with snacks, especially ice cream, transforming ordinary moments into celebrations. Her caring nature expressed itself through special text messages, random voicemail messages, and warm, enveloping hugs.
Even as her health declined, with her heart failing and lungs filling with fluid, she leaned on her faith in God, praying for better days and finding strength to continue. She used her final months to prepare her children, emphasizing the importance of "sticking together" and ensuring they knew the depth of her love.
Her daughter, Jahzamire's, tribute captured her essence: "My mother was a special kind of lady. She was spontaneous, caring, giving and adventurous. She never let what she dealt with limit her; it never defined her... I rarely saw my mother cry even though she was in so much pain. When I did it broke me in a way I never knew possible. Her strength was something I've never seen from anyone else I knew."
True to her independent spirit, Ms. Coggins vowed never to return to the hospital in her final days - a promise she kept, passing peacefully at home. Until her last moments, she maintained her concern for others; during her final dialysis treatment, she asked her daughter if she was okay, embodying her lifelong principle of putting others first.
She is survived by her parents, Patrick Coggins and Constance Gary; her siblings, Binta Watkins and Kesha Coggins; her children, Jahzamire Coggins and Jonathan Turner; her bonus son Lamont; and a vast network of friends who became family through her boundless capacity for love.
