Hi again my excitable friends! New week means new fan spotlight. Time to read the story of Siera Hehner!
Siera’s love for 311 starts in a familial way. “Well once upon a time my Aunt Helen called and told us that Dougie was joining a band called 311 …so I was instantly hooked .. I dumped my New Kids on the Block for them haha.”
Show tally for Siera is at 7 she believes because she wasn’t allowed to go to shows until she was 18, so her first event was in 2004. Favorite shows are the hometown shows, especially since she can watch from the side of the stage, but she also loved the Red Rocks show because she was with all her peeps. Siera even had to sell two cars to fund that trip so you know it meant a lot to her!
“Prisoner” is the song that means the most to Siera. “I feel like that song was made for me…it just gets me.” Siera said when she’s sad that song is always there to save her and then when she’s not sad, it’s just still a great song that she loves. Some of her favorite lyrics include, “My heart was the target it found your arrow baby you know I want to be your straight and narrow,” “Aunt Mary summertime backyard picnic, did you drink my beer Doug yea I did it, don’t tell me to me to bring ya beer if ya think I won’t sip it,” and “The monologue of a sing a long las banderas de San Juan, piden pan, no les dan.” Those last lyrics are from the song “Nix Hex” and Siera said it’s part of an old folk song that her great grandma Martinez used to sing to the grandkids. She listed quite a few more song lyrics and said she could really just go on and on listing them. “Let’s just put it this way, every single song has great lyrics… you might randomly hear me say a line from a song if it applies to a certain situation lol.”
Siera was born in Kearney, Nebraska and raised in Gibbon. Her grandfather and Doug a.k.a. SA’s mom are brother and sister and then her grandmother and Doug’s dad are siblings. “I was pretty much the only hardcore 311 fan in my town lol. I was the only little kid with 311 t-shirts in my school and had to ask if it was ok to wear them due to the KKK rumors.” Siera said she’s also not shy about telling people about her love for 311, and it’s not just because she is related to SA, but because they are really her favorite band in all the land. “When I was little I looked up to Dougie cause it was so cool my own cousin made it big. To come from Nebraska and then get to VISIT THE WORLD is so freaking sweet. So when you hear me mention anything, its not me name dropping or anything like that, its my love for my cousin and the guys, their music, and all my 311 FAM I get so geeked out and excited I could burst so I have to let peeps know stuff whatever it may be lol. And fuck the naysayers cause they don’t mean a thing lol.”
Siera said she had a pretty messed up childhood but always looked forward to her weekends with grandma and grandpa. It was grandma who gave her a love for music and cooking, then grandpa was responsible for her love of film, photography and the arts. “Both made me the person I am today. Those two and 311 helped me get through my childhood and teenage years.” Siera suffers from anxiety, depression, PTSD, autoimmune liver disease, hypothyroidism, asthma and diabetes, so her family and 311 really help keep her strong. She just finished counseling for stuff that occurred during her childhood with is helping with her PTSD. While she doesn’t think she’s fully cured, she said she is still here fighting everyday. “I enjoy see others happy and making them smile and laugh so I’m kinda silly. My grandma always says I’m just like great grandma Martinez cause I’m patient and kind and put up with a lot . I love my FAM more than they’ll ever know, same goes for my friends.” Siera also tries to help others, including strangers, whenever possible. “Sometimes I kinda feel like I was dealt a shitty hand due to my past and my health but then I look at the ones I love and it brings a smile to my face gotta take the good with the bad.”
Talent for Siera comes in the form of art. “I love to paint, make stuff, be creative, anything artsy.” Guilty pleasure is reality T.V. Something you may not know is she is Mexican and Irish, with a German last name!”My grandpa was a clinch but was adopted into the Hehner family. My grandma was a Martinez who obviously married my grandpa to become a Hehner, and no dad for me so that’s how I got the Hehner last name.” As far as other music she listens to, she’ll pretty much listen to anything that makes her feel good including Mexican music, Reggae, Pop, Hip Hop, Classical and Oldies.
To the band that has helped her through some tough times and good times she’d like to just say – “Thank you!”
To all the other fans:
“To those of you who haven’t left my side, I love you and I thank you for your friendship! Means you’re a real friend and I appreciate you. XO.”
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And there you have the story of Siera Hehner! Gotta love the family stories. Thank you Siera for sharing your personal journey of your love for 311. And thank you to all of those reading every week. Now go be awesome, do good things, and spread that positivity and love!
Much love – The Runt