A Life Lived Fully
Izzy was born in San Francisco on November 6, 2000. After two and a half years in Pittsburg, CA, the family settled in Alameda in 2003. Brilliant, unique, and curious from the start, by age five Izzy was already reading and could rattle off just about every dinosaur by name.
During their preschool years, it became clear something was different. Coordination and balance issues, and a heart condition, were the pieces of a puzzle that finally came together at age nine with a diagnosis of Friedreich’s Ataxia (FA), a rare, progressive neurodegenerative disease. It would shape their journey, but never define who they were.
“I can’t even dance but I’m in charge of the dances.”
— Izzy
Izzy attended Edison, Lincoln, and ACLC, and ran for class president in middle school. They didn’t win, but got appointed dance organizer instead, a fact they never stopped finding funny. Theater was a big part of their life. Some of their favorite roles included Maleficent in Sleeping Beauty and Jafar in Aladdin, along with productions of High School Musical and Up the Down Staircase. As an animal lover, they found joy in volunteering at the animal shelter, taking care of cats and bunnies.
Their teen years brought a burst of creative projects. Izzy wrote an episode for the audio drama podcast Twelve Chimes It’s Midnight (opens in new tab), and served as writer and creative director for Interfectorem (opens in new tab), a video game that won the grand prize at Girls Make Games (GMG) National Demo Day in 2015. As a GMG alum and ambassador, they were invited to speak at the White House in 2016. Izzy also loved playing Dungeons & Dragons, cosplaying, and attending anime conventions with friends. Senior year brought something even better: matching with Maeve, their Canine Companions service dog, in 2019.
High school behind them, Izzy’s foray into adulthood was marked by obstacles, but their positive attitude never wavered. Izzy was accepted to SJSU for film, radio, and TV, but the challenges of living independently with a disability, compounded by COVID shutdowns, led them in a new direction. Rather than give up, they pivoted, switching to anthropology at College of Alameda and earning an associate’s degree in 2025. An avid reader, Izzy loved horror, especially Stephen King. Disneyland was also a favorite, especially the Haunted Mansion and Space Mountain rides. When not listening to podcasts or audiobooks, they found a new passion in rockhounding, always chasing the perfect smooth, shiny stone. Izzy embraced the simpler things: a warm bath, candles, chocolate cake, and Coca-Cola.
“Twenty-five years was not enough, but Izzy made the most of every one of them.”
FA took away their ability to walk, type, talk, and see, yet they never gave up, facing each challenge with humor, resilience, and a “why not?” mindset. Izzy lives on in memory, and leaves a lasting gift to the FA community through the donation of their brain and heart to research. Izzy always had big dreams, and while they never made it to Harvard, their heart did, a fact they would have found endlessly amusing.
Izzy is survived by their parents, George and Zoe Penston; sister, Gwendolyn Penston; beloved service dog, Maeve; rescue dog, Frank; and failed foster cats, Barry and Cecil. Maeve is officially retired and will live out her days as the queen of leisure she deserves to be.