Luana’s memorial and legacy

Luana, known to many, as many different things. Most importantly she was known as Oma. She was reluctant to take that name as she thought she couldn’t fulfil the shoes of her mom. Who we call Oma. She hadn’t needed to fulfil a  nyone’s shoes. She had her very own, often miss matched and brightly coloured shoes of her own that no one could ever compare to. I, called her many things mom, mommy, mama, mum mum, mom, mommy, mah, mah, mammah, and I would call her all of these excessively just to have her laugh. Lu or Lou she was known to be called around her apartment and her favourite stores that she would shop at. 

Mom really never had it easy in her life. Some might say she never made it easy for other peoples lives as well. I truly believe that she did the absolute best she could with what she had and with what she knew. A lifetime full of physical disabilities,ailments and sickness on top of mental illness made it hard for mom to often make what would seem like the right choice into a  more difficult or less obvious choice. 

mom was on social assistance disability for as long As I can remember. She lived on one small pay to one small pay each month. I don’t know how, but she usually 
made it work. Sometimes asking for help and I am eternally grateful to all of you that were able to  help support her financially, by donation, physically and emotionally over the many years of her need.

mom has made arrangements and pre-payments on some of her funeral wishes but not all of them was she able to fulfill. I am not one to reach out for help. I suppose in a way, I’ve  made myself feel like asking for help means that I’ve given up. i’m not about to give up to help my mom have her last wishes for filled.

my brother, Mathew and I are asking if anyone is able to donate , what they can to help us fulfil her lost wishes because There has never been any extra money put away for herself but she would always try and have a little surprise for her grandson William for when he would come and visit her

some people didn’t get the chance to see this side of my mama but she honestly was always, always thinking of others. Her last few days at home she would always ask her workers how they were, if they were warm enough and if they we’re spending enough time with their family.  She had so little financially , and in physical things. what she did have was an amazing huge heart that was so often misunderstood and unseen.

if we go over and beyond our request any extra will be donated to the radiology department at the health sciences centre as per mom‘s request.

your help, your love, your support are all ever appreciated at this time. Please love and hug your parents, your children, grandparents, aunts, uncles, your friends your neighbours physically emotionally virtually any way you can send the people you love love do it because this goddamn life just isn’t long enough.

with love, 
-Tina LUANA Dawn