15 January 2015, Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Singapore
Laugh as much as you breathe
Love as long as you live
These two lines sum up Jessica. She always had a smile on her face, laughed loudly and heartily. She spoke with passion and with such vehemence you wouldn't want to cross words with her. She loved food, friends and family. She was an impassioned Singaporean who showed us, her motley group of friends what true Singapore hospitality was.
She had a fiery temper, loved possessively and dearly and disliked with just as much fervor. She picked her friends carefully, but once inside her circle, it was a very special bond to be wrapped in.
Before I met Jess, our sons who were 6 months old were friends first. Jess used to bring Julian to the Bayshore clubhouse and my mum used to take my son there. While the boys played, Jess and my mum became friends. When my mum left for India, she asked me to go meet this lady Jess. One morning I went to the clubhouse, little knowing I was going to make a friend for life. So, thank you to 2 little boys here, for giving their mummies' such a beautiful journey to experience.
Life with Jessica was one big party. She organized endless events for the group. We participated in Christmas day lavish dinner, Chinese New Year open house, Julian’s birthday bash, Lantern festival, Halloween, all happening year after year. In between all that there were BBQs, trips to Pula Ubin and food trails to explore. She not only loved her friends dearly; she extended that love to our families every time they visited Singapore. If one thing shows in all of this, it was her energy and zest for life. She embraced it and made the best of her very short, young life.
When she was diagnosed with small cell lung cancer early last year in March 2014 at 46, Linda and I sat crying by her side ...she cried with us but by then had sorted this disease in her head. She told us her life had been full & complete and she had no regrets. She married the love of her life, travelled, had Julian her miracle child and lived in a landed house, a Singapore dream. She accepted her fate and felt blessed for the life she had enjoyed.
Jessica's threshold for pain was very low and her wish was to pass away quickly. Unfortunately, her suffering was long and painful. Watching her these last couple of months, was the hardest thing to do.
Her pain is finally over. She was robbed of a full life, and has gone too early from us but as she lays peaceful, I know she's always going to be present among us , dishing out her worldly wisdom because that's what ten glorious years with her has given us - beautiful memories to love, cherish and hold onto.
We will miss you forever Jess .