Zamara’s Story
When five‑year‑old Zamara picked up her crayons to draw a flamingo, she had no idea her artwork would one day become the face and name of a construction crane. To her, it was simply another joyful drawing, something she does almost every day.
Earlier this year, Zamara spent a short time at Rady Children’s Hospital San Diego to have her tonsils and adenoids removed. She needed the surgery because she had been getting frequent ear infections. During her visit, Zamara spent time coloring, something she’s loved since she was very small.
Hearts are her signature: they appear on letters, cards, schoolwork, and nearly everything she creates. So when she sketched a tall pink flamingo for the “Name The Crane” contest at the Hospital, it felt natural for her to add a bright heart right in the center of its chest. And name it Francine.
“She loves hearts,” Khalia says. “Anytime we make cards for family, especially when we used to send mail to relatives in San Diego, she always decorated them with hearts. It’s just her thing.”
Rady Children’s Expands
Rady Children’s is moving forward with a major expansion that includes construction of a new seven‑story medical tower and renovation of the existing emergency department. The new tower will feature:
- 84 emergency treatment rooms
- 140 intensive care rooms
- 4 additional operating rooms
To support the project, three large cranes will be used. Mobile cranes will prepare the foundation, while two towering cranes will assist in constructing both the new medical tower and the Central Utility Plant.
Life at Home and a Flamingo That Dances
Healthy now and at home, Zamara is a busy, imaginative kindergartener. She attends ballet classes every other afternoon and loves dancing almost as much as she loves drawing. While she didn’t choose a flamingo specifically for its ballet‑like pose, the connection makes her mom smile.
“I never thought about it that way,” Khalia says. “But it kind of does look like it’s dancing.”
And of course, the color sealed the deal.
“She just loves flamingos because they’re pink,” Khalia adds with a laugh.
Although she knows her drawing was selected, Zamara doesn’t fully grasp how special this moment is, at least, not yet.
Soon, cranes will rise above the campus, one carrying a banner featuring her flamingo, now affectionately named Francine. Other cranes will join in too, proudly showing off Danny the Deer and Jerry the Giraffe alongside Francine the Flamingo.
As construction moves forward, Francine and her friends will stand as bright symbols of creativity, resilience, and childhood joy. Because they’re more than simple drawings. They’re reminders of the vivid imagination of the children who love coloring, animals, and bringing beauty into the world wherever they go.
