Lihwa van der Heyden

Tribute

My mother was a woman of quiet strength, enduring more than most people could ever imagine. For many years, she faced serious illness with resilience, courage, and a perseverance that never asked for recognition. Though her world became smaller physically, her presence and significance never diminished to those who truly knew her. She lived through hardship, chronic illness, and long stretches of dependence with a dignity that often went unseen. Dialysis, hospital stays, and constant medical battles were not how she imagined her life, yet she continued forward, day by day, doing the best she could with the body she was given. That kind of endurance is its own form of bravery. My mom was not defined by her illness. She was a mother first — imperfect, human, and deeply meaningful. She mattered. Her life had value simply because she lived it. Even when words were few and days were quiet, her existence carried weight and meaning. In her final chapter, the focus shifted from fighting to resting, from procedures to peace. She is now free from pain, free from machines, free from the constant struggle her body endured for so long. That freedom is a comfort to hold onto. She leaves behind lessons in resilience, in unconditional love, and in the complexity of caring for someone through life’s hardest moments. She will be remembered not for the years she was ill, but for the strength it took to live them. May she rest gently now, finally at peace.

Friends & Family