Friends and family of Paola Judith Zamora Rojas gathered in Pilsen to mourn the 32-year-old mother, vintage fashion enthusiast, and pillar of her neighborhood who died by suicide.
The altar in the Pilsen apartment is filled with photographs of 32-year-old Paola Judith Zamora Rojas, a quiet centerpiece for the nine-day Catholic novena her family has observed since her death on September 17.
For those who knew her, the candles burning in honor of St. Jude carry a heavy, familiar resonance. When Zamora Rojas was a baby. she nearly died. and her mother. Sandra Zamora. prayed to the saint for her survival. She lived, and was given the name Judith in his honor. Now. more than three decades later. her family is left to reckon with a life that ended by suicide after a long. private battle with mental illness.
Surrounding the family are the artifacts of a life lived with a distinct. curated eye: thrift-store records. vintage furniture. and the unique pieces she sourced for her online business. Dead End Vintage. Her talent for fashion had built her a following of tens of thousands on social media. yet her influence in Pilsen was deeply physical and rooted in the streets she called home since she was a toddler.
“Pilsen grew in her,” her sister, Yahaira Gutierrez, said. “And that’s how she grew into Pilsen.”
That identity was built in shops like Pilsen Vintage, where co-owners Paul Guizar and Maggie Reynoso considered her family. It was defined by hours spent browsing stores with her daughter. Olivia. and by the dreams she shared with Diana Galicia Corona—the mother of her late fiancé. Gabriel Cisneros—to one day open a local cafe that would double as a thrift store. Cisneros died of an accidental heroin overdose on Mother’s Day in 2016. leaving Zamora Rojas three months pregnant with their daughter. Even after his death, she kept a close bond with Galicia Corona, who lovingly called her a “better-in-law.”.
Galicia Corona remembers a moment on a sidewalk just a week before Cisneros died: music playing. her son taking Zamora Rojas’ hand. and spinning her around in a dance that felt like a love story that should never have ended. Grief remained a part of her life. surfacing during holidays and anniversaries. yet those who knew her insist it was only one facet of a remarkably full existence.
She was known for being the person others turned to when they were struggling. At her funeral. relatives learned of women she had helped leave abusive relationships and neighbors she had supported financially. despite her own struggles. “I want to make sure people know that Paola wasn’t selfish. ” her sister said. noting that Zamora Rojas often hid her own pain to avoid burdening those she loved.
Her brother. Cesar Gutierrez. recalls the frequent. playful calls for help moving the furniture she had found—a stark contrast to the standard trip to a big-box store. Her connection to the neighborhood was visceral; she hosted traveling musicians. supported local artists. and acted as a guide for friends new to Chicago.
Days before her death, she and Olivia had found a pair of dark blue cowboy boots at Pilsen Vintage for the upcoming Mexican Independence Day celebration. The boots were on hold when she died, and Guizar now intends for Olivia to have them.
As the novena continues, her family finds a difficult purpose in speaking openly about her struggles. They hope that by sharing her story, they might reach others who are currently suffering in silence. “It’s OK not to be OK,” Yahaira Gutierrez said. “It’s OK to reach out.”
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988 or visit 988Lifeline.org to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
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