So on Saturday, my Auntie Silvana passed away.
She was an incredibly kind and generous person but – like my Mum, who was her younger sister – she was also fiercely independent.
A few weeks ago she suffered an illness and sadly, while there were some positive signs, she ultimately succumbed to her ailments.
I am devastated for so many reasons.
The main one is obviously that she’s my Aunt.
She loved me and always wanted the best for me, Jill and Otis.
The second is she was incredibly kind to my family, especially Mum – who loved her so much.
During my early years, she was almost like a guardian angel to us when we encountered some tough times.
The final reason is that she is the last of her generation …
The last link to a group of wonderful people who defined so much of who I am.
While I am happy she is no longer in pain or suffering, I am so, so sad that she has gone.
Her loss will be felt for so long but her memory will last a lifetime.
Goodbye Auntie Silvana. Love you.
Rx