haunted

Chapter 3: black sheep

"Shut up."

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Dao was born February 14, 1996, in Redlands, CA, and spent her early life in Los Angeles. At the beginning of ninth grade, she moved with her family to Oakland, CA, where she attended West Bay Prep. She transferred to East Bay Academy of the Arts at the start of the 2012-13 academic year for 11th grade.

At EBAA, Dao studied classical and jazz music, hoping to one day become a film composer. Dao was also deeply connected in EBAA's theater community as a member of the piano ensemble, where she worked to compose a score for the fall semester play, Hamlet. She also served as the secretary of the Two Paws Up Improv Club. All the while, Dao worked shifts as a server at her family's restaurant, Good Pho You.

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"With how she ended up, more like Bad Pho You."

"Fatin, I swear to God."

I became acquainted with Dao through a referral from the head of the Theater Department, Ms Nina Morfin. While she was working on the music for the fall production of Hamlet, Dao became interested in developing modern scores for other Shakespearian plays as a way to bridge the gap between the past and present. As the semester progressed, she would often spend lunchtime in my classroom, and share music recommendations while she read through scripts.

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"That explains how she knew Ms Wolfe."

"Oh, so when I say something funny I'm interrupting, but when you say something painfully obvious it's fine?" 

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I only knew Dao for a few months, but in that time her passion for the arts shone through. She strived to create and innovate in everything she threw herself into at EBAA. If you speak with any of her former teachers or peers, they will likely share an anecdote or two about an exciting project Dao brought to fruition.

Dao had a lively, vibrant personality. "Her laughter was as infectious as her enthusiasm," said Hector Baez, President of the Two Paws Up Improv Club.

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"If by infectious they mean irritating, sure."

"What happened to 'savoir-faire'?"

"I'm shocked you even know what that means."

"Excuse you, I took French in middle school."

"Of course you did."

"Can't visit Paris without knowing the local language"

"You can, actually."

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Yet, what struck me the most about Dao, and has stayed with me beyond her passing, was neither her academic achievements or extracurricular involvement. Instead, it was her deeply-rooted responsibility to help those around her and to put their needs ahead of her own.

"She stayed after school for two hours every day to tutor freshmen struggling with music theory," former teacher Mr Vaidya said. "And even longer during midterms and finals."

Her parents shared that this altruistic behavior was characteristic for Dao from an early age. "Jeanette was constantly turning around, looking at every person around her. She'd always check in, asking, 'How are you doing?' 'Are you okay?' 'How can I help you?' Mr Dao said.