This memorial website was created in memory of our loved one, Miss Raheema Jamaludeen, 53 years old, born on March 31, 1967, and passed away on June 15, 2020 (buried on June 20, 2020). We will remember her forever.
That day we lit a candle while you were leaving your home, that light burns bright. It shows me that you’re ready to go back to your creator.
My beautiful and awe-inspiring sister, I am uncertain if I will ever understand why an aneurysm had to take you away, but I do know this: The light that you brought to the world shines on, forever. Adam reminds me of you constantly. It’s hard to watch him grieving (missing his Mom and Dad), his eyes are looking for you and his heart is still talking to you. Bobo (parrot) missed you too. I also know that Gucci (dog) has been looking for days to find you. I saw him searching and sniffing all the corners of the house.
As a mother – and a caregiver to Adam, the love of her life. The desire of her heart is to make a valuable difference to the well-being of that precious child who is relying on her for love, emotional and physical support. It’s heart-wrenching not knowing how to handle this completely perplexing situation with calm and alertness. She looked for help over the years, and while never wanting to give-up, she was at her wit’s end. Longing for certain guidance to happen. Then she found St Joseph Forensic in Hamilton: Having access to an experienced physiatrist (Dr. Ferencz) means that suddenly she and her precious Adam are not alone. She found hope in a feeling of trust, security, and a desire to keep going. You had so much life left to live. My sweet sister you lived your legacy in a marathon through both rocky terrain and beautiful meadows.
Even though her death is tragic and such a sad event, I hope that everyone can hold his or her head high. Raheema would have wanted us to celebrate her life and speak about her achievements and our fond memories with a smile on our faces. Let’s not dwell on our significant loss, but instead, focus on paying tribute to Raheema's remarkable life.
A talented coach and aspiring mother, sister, aunt, and friend. She inspired many parents at the Association of Parent Support Groups in Ontario (APSGO) not only how to handle their children but imparted lessons of self-esteem, self-confidence, fit in some retail therapy, positive body image along, and a good belly laugh.
She also was a member of the Institute for Advancement in Mental Health (IAM). She helped to raise funds for research into a cause and cure for schizophrenia (aka - schizo-affective disorder) by participating in an annual Peace of Mind Walk in Oakville.
She also wrote letters to the Canadian Mental Health Society (CMHS) suggesting to raise the bar higher on mental health. Some of her suggestions were discussed by CMHS and in the process of implementing as follow:
a) to develop a civil process whereby love ones are able to advocate for care when a person who is ill, does not recognize that she/he is ill and a danger to society. Families and those close to the patient have a clear and important voice in identifying issues. Use that voice.
b) consistent psychotherapy to prevent relapse
c) No waiting list for Mental illness cases.
d) provide long-term accommodation for people with mental illness, and a system that stops being politically correct all the time instead of doing what needs to be done right. We shouldn’t wait until people with mental illness go into crises
e) Move the dial in the right direction if we want to give these patients a new start in life and prevent intensive treatment, the first step is to make it easier for quicker assessment.
Her grace existed on so many levels; the way she carried herself, her impeccable and flawless style, the way she helped my mother and father, the way she spoke, what she spoke. Every decision she made was based on the deep values, ethics, and principles with which she led her life: Integrity, compassion, service to all creatures, discipline, and loyalty were the foundations of her love.
She was curious about the world around her. She craved life in every moment, in every conversation, in every adventure. And anywhere she went, everyone, she met was filled with delight by her. They were touched so deeply and moved by her beautiful presence. Her soft and sweet strength: her quirky sense of humor, her earth-shaking and righteous laughter. She charmed them all with her deeply soulful, intelligent, and beautiful energy. Everyone who crossed her path saw and felt the light she radiated.
Whatever we do at some point, it will be the last time we do it. Whomever we love at some point, there will be the last time we see them, speak to them, or hug them. We never really know when that will be.
Until then, she’s always with me when I walk out to the trail and in the anticipating stillness of the room, as I sit down, I imagine her – Raheema, my sister, my cherished one – smiling at me, inviting me into each moment, life is meant for living.
❤️❤️
