*A LETTER TO MY TWIN SISTER - GOODNESS*
Mercy Ugonma Olugu (A twin sister to late Goodness in whose honour CHAMA was founded)
Dear Goodness,
Words can’t explain how I feel about your death. I wish malaria never existed because it took away your life. My best friend’s life. My second self, and most importantly, my twins’ life. I may not have known you the best at the age of 1, but you were, and will always be the other half of me.
I can’t interpret the whole in my heart. Mind-boggling pain takes over me sometimes just thinking about you. I was told I was always the crying one, but you, you smiled, and it just lit up the whole place like a ray of sunshine as you were. I constantly anticipate that you would be on the same basketball team, soccer team, love track, or maybe the total opposite. Seeing twins make me have the thought “wow, it would be remarkably breathtaking to have a twin”.
Mercy Ugonma Olugu (A twin sister to late Goodness in whose honour CHAMA was founded)
Dear Goodness,
Words can’t explain how I feel about your death. I wish malaria never existed because it took away your life. My best friend’s life. My second self, and most importantly, my twins’ life. I may not have known you the best at the age of 1, but you were, and will always be the other half of me.
I can’t interpret the whole in my heart. Mind-boggling pain takes over me sometimes just thinking about you. I was told I was always the crying one, but you, you smiled, and it just lit up the whole place like a ray of sunshine as you were. I constantly anticipate that you would be on the same basketball team, soccer team, love track, or maybe the total opposite. Seeing twins make me have the thought “wow, it would be remarkably breathtaking to have a twin”.
Occasionally, the overpowering thought of you dying because of me comes to thought. That’s because I had malaria first and felt better after a couple of days then you had it. It kills to know I had it first. I feel devastated when I couldn’t even remember any features of you. The smile you wore from ear to ear that brightened up your dark brown eyes, it slipped away. It was let go. This feeling of misery is just too massive to hold on. It’s like a hefty lump in my throat. A whole other half of me is gone, and only you can replace it.
I’m here, speaking, still drowning in sorrow because you’re gone. I’m here still trying to pick up the shattered pieces of my heart. You struggled for seven good days.
The supposedly “best doctors” they had were getting it all wrong until you died on the 8th day. At least I know you are at peace. No vomiting, nobody temperatures going up and down, no diarrhea, no pale skin, no agony. You tremendously did not deserve this. I'm relieved that it’s over for you but wrecked that it happened.
I can assure and reassure you that this won’t be my white flag. I will not waste my pain. I’m not giving up on you. Not on you Goodness. That’s why CHAMA (challenging aids and malaria in Africa) was started, in your honour to stop this disease that continues to ravage my homeland, and every 30 seconds, it takes away a life. If heaven was a breath away, I would be there in a heartbeat. You are so dearly missed down here. Love you to remedies sis. Mercy!
I’m here, speaking, still drowning in sorrow because you’re gone. I’m here still trying to pick up the shattered pieces of my heart. You struggled for seven good days.
The supposedly “best doctors” they had were getting it all wrong until you died on the 8th day. At least I know you are at peace. No vomiting, nobody temperatures going up and down, no diarrhea, no pale skin, no agony. You tremendously did not deserve this. I'm relieved that it’s over for you but wrecked that it happened.
I can assure and reassure you that this won’t be my white flag. I will not waste my pain. I’m not giving up on you. Not on you Goodness. That’s why CHAMA (challenging aids and malaria in Africa) was started, in your honour to stop this disease that continues to ravage my homeland, and every 30 seconds, it takes away a life. If heaven was a breath away, I would be there in a heartbeat. You are so dearly missed down here. Love you to remedies sis. Mercy!
