Ayana Shanell Velardo

Ayana Shanell Velardo, 30, of Wilkes-Barre, tragically passed away on August 9, 2025.

Born in Brooklyn, New York, on March 27, 1995, she was the daughter of Andy Barrow and Yanira Velardo.

Ayana worked as a dietary aide in a local nursing home. In her free time, she loved listening to music and spending quality time with loved friends and family at home. She was known as the life of the party but was a homebody at heart. But above all, her favorite and most important thing to her were her children. She always made sure to prioritize their needs over hers, there was nothing she wouldn’t have done for them.

In addition to her parents, she is survived by her children, King Velardo, Peyton-Dior Velardo, Paris-Lee Martinez, Alana Martinez, and Jayceon Martinez; fiancé, Brandon Martinez; siblings, Daquan Velardo, Nigel Velardo, Traquan Barrow, Jeremy Colon, Keney Colon, Travis Sweeney, Shardae Matthews, and Nakia Velardo; grandparents, Jackie Barrow, Janet Perez, and Ramon Velardo; step-mother Tracie Wiggins; her best friends, Nae, Netta, Tee, Adrinna, Najah, Smiley, Bubblez, Yaya, Bree, Ally, Ta'Ziera, Shanaisha, and Cassie; as well as a host of aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, and god children, who love her dearly.

Private cremation services have been entrusted to Kniffen O’Malley Leffler Funeral & Cremation Services, Wilkes-Barre.