The love of my life, Rachael.
This is an excerpt of my eulogy for my amazing wife Rachael. I hope you’ll read it to know what a dynamic person she was. Losing someone like her is why it’s so important that we stop other families losing their loved ones to cancer. - Aaron.
Well this is certainly something I hoped I’d never have to do.
I don’t want this eulogy to be defined by Rachael’s journey over the last two years. Of course, the last two years certainly colours everything now. However, Rachael had a plethora of experiences before her cancer diagnosis.
The thing was she didn’t change and become inspirational because of her response to her cancer. She was already inspirational before the dreaded C word entered our lives.
Our family, Riordan and Adele, Rachael and I.
Rachael was always open, honest, articulate, fierce, strong, capable, independent, considerate, loyal, and in all things loving with a remarkable zest for life. These were all her qualities which so many of you admired. These were simply the qualities which she possessed which then came to the fore in response to her cancer diagnosis – and highlighted for all her friends and family just how remarkable she was.
Over the last weekend Rachael and I got to share our greatest fears for the future.
Unsurprisingly, we shared the same fear. Hers was being forgotten and mine was forgetting.
You might think ‘Aaron, how could you ever forget Rachael?’ However, I have experienced the death of my own father at a young age and I know that while you continue to love and remember that person, so many details fade with time. Rachael was aware of this, and I think her greatest fear was that she would dim and fade in the memory of her own children.
I also know that it will be very difficult for me to ever forget my beautiful wife as she has left me with the most amazing legacy she could possibly leave, our two beautiful children, Riordan and Adele. They embody all of the best attributes of their mother, being articulate, independent and loving individuals who are considerate, compassionate and maintain faith.
I know that many of you wanted a miracle for Rachael, but we got that miracle as we were able to return home with her.
In the end she was surrounded by family, in the place she loved most, and this is what she deserved.
Saying our heartbreaking goodbyes to Rachael. August 2018.
I know that I have lost my soul mate, but I also know that life will, as it must, somehow go on. You may not be physically with us anymore Rachael, but you do, and will always, live on in all of our hearts.
Rachael, we love you.