Catherine “Cat” Anne O’Meara

PORTLAND – Catherine “Cat” Anne O’Meara, 37, passed away with family by her side at Maine Medical Center in Portland following a courageous two month battle after surviving cardiac arrest resulting from a severe asthma attack.

Born March 23, 1989, at Southern Maine Medical Center in Biddeford, it was apparent very early on that Cat’s vibrant, red hair would foreshadow the intense and fiery journey her life would take.

After graduating from Sanford High School in 2007, Cat lived a life far from the ordinary. Like the proverbial ‘cat with nine lives’, Cat’s life reflected plenty of adventure, impulse, and a certain penchant for mischief. No matter where life led, or what kind of adversity she was facing, she never allowed herself to stay down long. She would redirect her intense energy to face the challenge head on and claw her way back up no matter the depths she traveled. The driving force behind that resilience and determination to overcome any challenge was her greatest love in life, her son Zaivier. Together they enjoyed card games, baking, or just simply sharing funny pictures or text messages with each other. She dedicated time each week to make sure her presence was a constant in his life and that he knew how much she loved him and how much she was making efforts to be the mother he deserved.

If you ask any of her work family, they will all tell you Cat was dedicated to being a valued team member and that she was an extremely hard worker. She showed great pride in her position, was reliable, often walking miles to and from shifts, and was dedicated to ensuring her fellow team members were taken care of inside and outside of work. The intensity of the way she lived her life mirrored the intensity in which she supported and loved her friends. She was the friend you could count on to be in your corner, judgement-free and with no expectations.

Yes, periods of her life were marked by intense internal battles, but they cannot overshadow one aspect of her life that remained constant throughout — her desire to help others. She particularly loved being a CNA, a pharmacy technician, volunteering with Caring Unlimited, and most recently serving the public in her role as a shift leader at Cumberland Farms. Her desire to help people was evident in those positions and also in lesser known acts like taking care of family and friends through health struggles or lending a hand (or a tent) to a friend in need. Even facing her final battle, she was helping her healthcare team learn about clinical recovery and providing information to help future families facing these impossible situations.

She will be deeply missed by her family and her friends, and if there is any truth to the idea of nine lives, those who loved her can take some comfort in imagining she’s already figuring out how to make the most of the next one.

She was predeceased by grandparents, Rita O’Meara and Patricia and Carlton “Mack” McDaniel. She is survived by her son, Zaivier Hensley; parents Thomas and Vicky O’Meara of Eliot; sister Michelle Hackett and husband Matthew Jr.; nephews Matthew III, Thomas, and Nathaniel Hackett and niece Shannon Hackett of Sanford.

Cat’s family would like to express sincere gratitude to the individuals and healthcare team who diligently cared for her clinically – especially the Neuro ICU/Critical Care providers and the Bean-5 team at Maine Medical Center in Portland. Additional thanks go to the many spiritual guides who provided the family comfort and direction, and provided Cat tools to follow the path to everlasting life.

Funeral services will be held at St Therese of Lisieux, Sanford, Maine, at 11 a.m. on May 5, 2026. Burial to follow immediately after at St Ignatius Cemetery in Sanford.

In lieu of flowers,

donations can be made, with respect for her love of rescue animals, to the ASPCA