Ms. Nadia Dasharia Kneeland

"Forever 28"
Nadia Dasharia Kneeland, age 28, passed away on October 5, 2025, at UF Health Shands Hospital in Gainesville, FL surrounded and supported by her loving immediate family.
She was born on February 15, 1997, in Chicago, IL. As an infant she was diagnosed with Sickle Cell Anemia SS, which is a painful and debilitating illness that she did not allow to get her down. In 2004, at the age of 7, she had a stroke that landed her in the hospital where she had a triple massive stroke that resulted in her being partially paralyzed on her right side, legally blind (hemianopsia), and non-verbal (inarticulate). Despite the multiple strokes (eight total), surgeries, blood transfusions, pain crisis, hospital visits, and blood draws, she had an amazing smile on her face, and a laugh that was undeniably contagious!
Nadia graduated from Leon High School in 2015, then again from Lively Tech's ACE program where she aged out of Leon County Schools in 2019. She was a joy to all that knew her. Outside of school, she loved beading necklaces and bracelets, going shopping, watching wrestling, listening to music, singing and dancing, hanging with family, and most of all going to church. She is truly missed and will never be forgotten.
Nadia is preceded in death by her brother Shareef, III and leaves behind to treasure her memory her Mother, Tiffany Pickens; Father, L. Dewayne Pickens; brothers and sisters, MarQues Kneeland, Essence Pickens, Takera Pickens, X'aviier Shaheed, Azavian Pickens, Ashanti Pickens, Kenneth Pickens, Amari Pickens, and Keira Pickens; two nieces, Milani Kneeland and Kai'Ari Gilliam; and a host of family and friends.
Final arrangements for the Kneeland Family re in the care of Chestnut Funeral Home, 18 NW 8th Ave, Gainesville, FL, 32601.