There are no words. There are no words to deal with our pain, and there are no words to describe my sister. I will try and do justice to her remarkable character, strength, beauty, love, and passion for life.
Let me begin with my parents, for no one brought them as much joy, as much happiness throughout their entire lives as Rachel and myself. You raised us both so well; you gave both us incredible strength, stability, and love which was demonstrated so visibly through Rachel.
Under absolutely unbelievable circumstances over 34 years, you raised a daughter through cancer, through its side-effects and also the rarest liver disease known to mankind. It is a tribute to both of you that Rachel had the strength, the hope, and an unfathomable will to live through all of that and that was because of how you raised her.
The impact Rachel has had on people’s lives, why she has touched us all so deeply, why people love her almost instantly is because of you both. I thank you for that, and for raising me in the same way. I cannot begin to imagine your pain right now, but you must take solace in the fact that because of you, she lived, truly lived each day of her life. And she came to you with her final wishes for she knew you would carry them out to the best of your abilities. As hard and as painful as it was, you did everything you could during this most unbearable time.
My sister loved life. She thrived on life. The smallest things brought her such great joy. When Rachel was happy, which was usually the case, her smile and laugh would light up the world! She had the very unique ability to make everyone around her more loving, more caring, more patient, more controlled. Her thirst for life made us want to live each day better than we were doing.
My sister fought and struggled for the simple act of taking a breath. Something we take for granted every minute, every second, my sister fought to do. But she did it. Her strength and her passion for life that we all felt and saw are what will get us through this now. She has instilled in each of us her traits and even though we are sick and numb with pain now, those traits will shine through. She definitely took a piece of each of us with her, but what she left us in strength, in hope, in the will to live will get us through. Rachel wants it that way, and that is how it will be.
There were five things I know Rachel truly wanted out of life, and she achieved them. Not many of us can truly say that we have all that we want out of life, but my sister could. Rachel packed many lifetimes into the years she had, and that gives me some solace, it gives me joy to know she attained her life dreams, although it was far too short. Far too short for her, and certainly for each of us.
Rachel wanted a prince, a man to marry who would understand and love her. She knew love when she saw it, and she found it with my brother-in-law, Bruce. I remember a story Bruce told about a dream that he had before he ever met Rachel. He dreamt of a gorgeous young woman, strong and loving, and he knew she was the one. When he saw Rachel, he knew that was the woman he had dreamt of. That Rachel was love.
Rachel’s passion and drive to not only excel at her job, but also manage people and care for her co-workers, was extraordinary. She loved Cathay and all of her co-workers and that drove Rachel when she was hospitalized to get out and to get back to work. I have never seen a more determined person in my life, and she was loyal and happy to work at Cathay for the past 16 years.
Her promotion to the Hong Kong office and then back to Melbourne was testimony of her ability. The support of her co-workers and your outpouring of love is proof of Rachel’s bond with all of you and her innate ability to touch anyone she met instantly.
The third thing my sister always wanted was her own home. This all sounds simple, but it is what she wanted. She wanted to live in the outskirts, with a few hectares of land. She did not want to live in some area because it was upmarket. She wanted a nice house in a nice rural setting. She got her wish, and she absolutely loved it.
Ever since I was little she would talk about it and describe it and she made it happen. Whenever Rachel had a goal, she did all she could to make it happen and believe me, she would not give up. Her persistence and passion were untouchable. Rachel loved being in her house, just relaxing, cooking, swimming in her pool, in her own world just like our mother. She would always tell me how relaxed she was at home, and both she and Bruce enjoyed nothing more than being home together. That is love. That is who my sister is. She wanted a husband, a house, and next, she wanted a child.
Mitch has, for 3½ years brought my sister such incredible joy I can hardly attempt to describe it in words. You could see it in her eyes and in her body when she was with him. She was a mother from day one, and all that she has done, the foundation she has laid for Mitch will be with him forever. Rachel’s patience, nurturing, caring, understanding, and complete love for Mitch has already been absorbed by him. My brother-in-law might not see it now, or feel it, but everything Rachel did, everything Rachel is he will have in him and he will raise a tremendous son as Rachel would have wanted.
As I promised my sister I will be there for Mitch every step of the way as will my parents. It was a wish Rachel passionately expressed, and we will fulfill that wish. Mitch will know who Rachel was, how much she loved him, and what kind of mother she was through us. We all have Rachel within us, and that will transfer to Mitch so easily because Rachel already has done so with him. Sis wants Mitch and each of us to live each day without fear, to live life each day as fully as possible. We will do so, as she would want us to.
When Mitch is old enough to understand, I promise you Rachel he will know what you went through, how much you loved him, and all that you have done to assure he will be raised as you want him to. He will know today and everyday how much you love him and that you are truly an angel smiling down upon your son and guiding him in his life. He will know that you fought to be here for him, that you were in utter anguish knowing these illnesses were keeping you away from him while hospitalized. He will also know how you still managed to be there for him and provide for him and orchestrate his fun and his life while in the hospital. As your only brother I will tell him everything that makes me love you so much when he is able to understand life, as I do now.
The last thing my sister wanted, which in reality turned out to be her first desire in life, was to have a little brother, and she had me. She wanted a brother very badly, and would talk about that to my parents, aunts, uncles, anyone and everyone. I wish I could have somehow seen Rachel’s joy when I was born. I’ve been told she jumped up and down on the bed and screamed “I have a brother, I have a brother!” and she told our whole family about me and how overjoyed she was to have me.
Rachel, I never felt that need, that wanting, that desire to have another brother or sister for you were and are everything to me. You have been and will always be my protector, my guide, my teacher, my mentor, my sounding board. Everything I have done in my life you have been a part of and will continue to be a part of. Every decision I’ve made, every step I’ve taken you were there. When I needed to be pushed, you pushed. When I needed to be yelled at, you did so. When I needed to cry, you let me do so, and when I just needed you, you were there.
As time passed and I got older, I was told what you went through as a child and I lived through the rest with you. I know I provided you with a great calming presence over the past year for you told me so, and in some ways I became what you have always been to me: a protector, a supporter, a guide. If you disliked someone I did not have to know why, I just despised them as well. If someone hurt you, or disappointed you, I would be hurt, I would be disappointed. But when you smiled, you raised my soul to the sun. I can’t tell you how happy I was to help you and see you smile during the difficult times.
Through all of this I told you that you are by far the strongest human being I have ever known. You fought and fought and fought, never giving up, never seeking the easy way out, and it took the most rare, unknown disease for the fight to end. I am truly awed by your strength. I have such a void in me now, such pain, that the only thing which gives me true solace is knowing you are a fighter and that you lived each and every day as you wanted and led a life which gave you joy when you were healthy. You went through hell and back more times than can ever be imagined, and your strength is part of me now and I know you will help me get through this.
Sis, I now feel that need, that want, that desire to have a sister, but only if she were you. You were all I ever needed for a sister. Words cannot begin to touch what I feel. I know you will live in my heart and in my soul forever. You are now my God and when I pray, I will pray to you. When I go to church, I will give thanks to you. I have been truly blessed and honored to have had you for a sister, and as my best friend. I thank you with my entire body and soul for bringing me joy throughout our years together and I promise you I will be to Mitch what you are and will always be to me. I know how much you wanted to be there for him, how you wanted him to be President and manage his campaign, and I swear I will do all I can for him.
Rachel, I love you more than life itself. Everything you are and everything you have done will help not only me, but also everyone here to get through this time. I cannot say goodbye to you, but I’ll see you in my dreams and whenever I look up I know you’ll be there smiling down at me and guiding me. I will call your name forever, and you will always answer forever. I will love and miss you forever.