The Story Behind Dayna’s Footprints

Every mission begins somewhere.

For Dayna’s Footprints, it began with a sister.

In the summer of 1997, Dayna Sayed was 16 years old. As the oldest of six siblings, she had already taken on a role that most teenagers never experience. Dayna helped raise her brothers and sisters, stepping into responsibility early and doing whatever she could to support her family.

That summer, she worked at Just For Feet in Arlington, Texas.

Like many teenagers working their first job, she spent long hours earning her own money. But when the summer ended, Dayna did something that would leave a permanent mark on her younger brothers.

She bought them shoes.

A Moment That Changed Everything

Our founders, Sharif and Sam Sayed, received brand new pairs. Something many children might take for granted. But for them, it was more than a purchase. It was a moment.

They remember standing a little taller. Holding their heads a little higher. Feeling a shift in how they saw themselves.

That simple act of generosity sparked something deeper than either of them fully understood at the time. Confidence. Possibility. A sense that they could push beyond what their circumstances might otherwise dictate.

A Loss That Became a Legacy

Just a few months later, tragedy struck.

Dayna became the victim of senseless gun violence.

The loss devastated the family. But the impact she had on her brothers did not disappear. If anything, it grew stronger.

Sharif and Sam carried that memory with them as they moved forward in life. They never forgot what it felt like to receive that simple gift. They never forgot what it represented.

Years later, that memory became a mission.

In 2018, the brothers founded Dayna’s Footprints, a nonprofit organization created to honor their sister’s legacy by giving other children the same experience that meant so much to them.

More Than Shoes

The idea was simple.

If a single pair of shoes could spark confidence in two young boys, imagine what it could do for other children facing similar circumstances.

Today, Dayna’s Footprints serves students throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth and Rochester areas. The organization works to combat learning inequity by providing underserved students with quality, name brand shoes they can wear proudly.

But the shoes are only part of the story.

What the organization truly provides is confidence.

A Community Coming Together

Children who may have felt overlooked walk into a retail store and are given something powerful: the chance to choose. They select the pair they want most and leave knowing that their community believes in them.

Behind every event is a collaborative effort. Community leaders in the DFW and Rochester areas help identify children who would benefit most. Businesses and neighbors help raise the funds needed to serve them. Retail partners open their doors. Volunteers show up ready to help. (As our organization grows, we hope to expand to additional cities.)

Then the moment arrives.

Students walk into a store. They pick out the shoes they want. They leave with more than shoes on their feet.

They leave with confidence.

One Sister's Love, One Step at a Time

Dayna’s Footprints exists because of one sister’s love and sacrifice. Her act of generosity continues to echo across communities, one child at a time.

What began as a small moment between siblings has become something far greater.

It has become a legacy.