My dearest friends of Sitges,

As many of you know, Rafa’s brother Filipe, his wife Damylla, and their two 9-year-old twin girls, Manuela and Lorena, were in a terrible accident in Brazil on June 24th. Despite every effort, little Lorena sadly passed away the next day, on June 25th.

The family then spent months in hospital recovering, and only now - three months later - are they beginning the incredibly difficult journey of rebuilding their lives without Lorena.

For Manuela, this means learning to live without her twin sister and best friend , which is an unimaginable loss for a child.

Lorena will be so deeply missed, not only by her mum and dad, and her twin sister, but also by her querida vovó (Luciana), her loving aunt and uncle (Rafa & Jesper), and of course her little 5-year-old cousin Dougie, who is already missing her terribly .

On top of the grief, there are many challenges ahead: medical bills, therapy and emotional support for Manuela and her parents , school costs , and and the many unforeseen costs that come with such a tragedy.

Yesterday, as I sat with Rafa, held her hand, and we cried together, I felt so strongly how much she and her family need us around them. We cannot bring Lorena back, but we can come together as her Sitges family and help ease the burden in practical ways .

If you’re able, please contribute what you can. Whether it's €5 or €100, every little bit will make a difference for Filipe, Damylla, and especially for little Manuela.

With a tonne of love and gratitude,

Olga Xx

❤