My name is Alicja, and I am raising funds to give my dear friend Mary a proper goodbye. Mary Lynn Brown was born on March 3, 1948, in Niagara Falls. She later moved to Fenwick until she married and worked at Mitchell’s Ladies Wear in Welland. She was married at St. Kevin’s Church, the same church where I was married too, though at different times. Neither of our marriages lasted and maybe that is why she understood me so deeply and was eager to help me escape a difficult situation. Later in life Mary spent many years living in British Columbia before returning to Ontario. She was a go-getter and a traveler at heart. With her trailer she drove across Canada, visiting Alberta, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick. She did not fear life. She told you how it was, never twisted things, and always spoke her mind. Maybe that is why I loved her so much, because I love people who are straightforward and real. Mary was more than a friend to me. She was like a mother. She taught me lessons, gave me common sense when I needed it most, and filled my life with laughter. Our relationship was not always easy. She would leave and come back, but the truth is, we always found our way back to each other. She was a constant presence of love and support in my life. I first met Mary in 2017 in the middle of a difficult time when I was in an abusive marriage. When I finally left in 2019, she moved in with me. The day my ex went to work, I moved everything into a new apartment and Mary came with me. With her encouragement I found the strength to stay away for good. Without her voice and her presence, I may not have had the courage to hold my ground. Mary also made me laugh. As a Polish immigrant, I sometimes struggled to find the right words or would mix up my pronunciation. Mary would smile and say, “just tell them you are a Polish immigrant and they will go easy on you.” It always made me laugh, and many times it worked. That was her way of caring, turning hard moments into lighter ones. Mary passed away on September 17 at 12:47 a.m. at the age of 77. I was there with her when she took her last breath, and I am grateful she was not alone. I was only her Power of Attorney for health, not finances. That means I cannot access her estate to cover her final expenses. If I do not step forward, Mary will be cremated anonymously among others who were never claimed. I cannot let that happen. She is wanted. She deserves to be remembered with dignity, and I want her ashes to remain with me, where she belongs. I am asking for help to cover the cost of a simple cremation so Mary can be laid to rest properly. Any amount helps, and I will be forever grateful to anyone who helps me honor her life in this way. Thank you for reading Mary’s story and for helping me make sure she is not alone in the end.