Ms. Deja Bowen

Ms. Deja Lynn Bowen, born April 17, 2002, was tragically taken from this world on June 10, 2026, at the age of 24.

A true rebel for life, Deja left this world doing what she always loved: riding her bike really fast (or a stolen motorcycle??), breaking the rules, and living life entirely on her own terms. In the end, she was flying.

In perfect Deja fashion, she died instantly, leaving all the pain for the rest of us to bear. Somehow, even after a head-on collision with a truck, she still managed to look effortlessly beautiful, perfectly posed in her ICU bed and drawing compliments from the hospital staff. And because Deja was full of love until the very end, she gave the gift of life through organ donation to three people. Our wild child left this world a superhero.

Deja is survived by her heartbroken mother, Georgia Bowen; her stepfather, Chuck Folds; her sister, Charlize Bowen; her brothers, Sebastian Bowen and Oakley Faulk; her bonus siblings, Tate & Carr Folds; and a community of people across the world who loved her, worried about her, laughed with her (en dos idiomas), and never stopped hoping for her.

She now effervescently joins her father, Charles Douglas Bowen Jr., who passed away when she was just a little girl. Not a day went by that she didn't miss her daddy to her core, and we find comfort in imagining that they have finally found each other again.

To know Deja was to know that she never did anything halfway. She could be hilarious, stubborn, generous, weird, compassionate, exasperating, and unbelievably fearless- sometimes all before lunch. She had a smile that could light up a room, a laugh you could hear across a parking lot, and a way of making complete strangers become instant friends. She lived louder than most people ever dare.

Deja spent most of her life fighting a battle she never chose. Diagnosed with bipolar disorder as a young child, she faced challenges that would have overwhelmed anyone. Her illness influenced many of her decisions and largely affected her life and the lives of her family. However, no matter the challenges this illness brought, she always knew she was our daughter, our sister, our family, and she was deeply loved.

The world often measures a life by its accomplishments. We choose instead to measure Deja's by the love she inspired. Even in death, she gave others the chance to live. That is a legacy worthy of celebrating.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to the Juvenile Bipolar Research Foundation in Deja's memory. It is our hope that continued research will spare other children and families from the lifelong struggles that bipolar disorder can bring.

If you knew Deja, honor her by helping someone who needs it, making art, loving fiercely, laughing loudly, and occasionally bending a rule or two… just maybe not all of them at once.

Ride free, my sweet Deja Love.

Te amo para siempre mija.