Dr. Cierra Cadena, a recent Texas A&M veterinary graduate and new equine intern in Ocala, Florida, died on September 21, 2026. Tributes from the Equine Medical Center of Ocala, USTPA, Stillwater Equine Veterinary Services and others remembered her warmth, talent and deep ties to the horse community. Her death has renewed attention on mental-health challenges in veterinary medicine and organizations such as Not One More Vet. If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 for support.
Not One More: Community Mourns Dr. Cierra Cadena and Reignites Focus on Veterinary Mental Health
Not One More: Dr. Cierra Cadena’s Death Sparks Conversation Around Mental Health
Dr. Cierra Cadena, a recent Texas A&M veterinary graduate, died on September 21, 2026, only months after beginning an equine internship at the Equine Medical Center of Ocala in Florida. Her passing has prompted an outpouring of grief from veterinary colleagues, the equine community and organizations devoted to supporting mental health among animal-care professionals.
Tributes From Colleagues and the Horse Community
In a statement, the Equine Medical Center of Ocala called Cadena "an amazing individual and a valued member" of its intern team, saying her loss is felt across the organization and throughout the veterinary profession. The United States Team Penning Association remembered her as a familiar, warm presence whose friendship, smile and love of the sport made her part of the USTPA family.
"She was brilliant, kind and one of a kind," said Stillwater Equine Veterinary Services, who noted they had shown horses with Cadena and considered her family close friends.
Crown B Photography and others who worked with Cadena highlighted her generosity toward animals and people, urging readers to check on caregivers whose struggles may not be visible.
Mental Health Conversation Renewed
Cadena's death has renewed attention on Not One More Vet (NOMV) and broader efforts to address mental health and well-being in veterinary medicine. Tributes and community responses emphasize the intense emotional and professional pressures many veterinarians and animal-care workers face—and the need for kindness, compassion and stronger support systems.
Remembering the Person Behind the Profession
To the riders, handlers and colleagues who knew her, Cadena was more than a DVM: she was a daughter, friend, horsewoman and member of a community that celebrated her long-held dream of caring for horses. Though her professional career was only beginning, those who knew her remember the relationships she built and the lives she touched long before she earned a diploma.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. For veterinarians and others seeking peer support, organizations such as Not One More Vet offer resources and community.
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