Tribute

WE HAVE ALL GATHERED HERE TODAY TO PAY OUR PROFOUND AND HEARTFELT TRIBUTE TO MIREILLE.
I HOPE THESE FEW WORDS WILL BE FAITHFUL TO HER MEMORY.
MIREILLE WAS A BEACON AHEAD OF US IN YEARS.
SHE ENJOYED HAVING FUN, TALKING, SHE ENJOYED LIFE.
HER HUSBAND : ROGER, AND HER CHILDREN : VIRGINIE AND STEPHANE, MEANT EVERYTHING TO HER.
MIREILLE PROTECTED US, SHE WAS CONSTANTLY CONCERNED ABOUT OUR WELL BEING.
SHE WAS SO NICE AND KIND.
BUT ALZHEIMER' S DISEASE UNDERTOOK TO SPOIL THIS PERFECT HAPPINESS. SLOWLY BUT SURELY, IT CAME AND CARRIED HER OFF.
WHEN THE FIRST SYMPTOMS APPEARED, WE TRIED TO HIDE FROM HER THE NATURE OF HER DISEASE. WE HOPE SHE WON' T HOLD A GRUDGE AGAINST US FOR DOING SO... THEN WE REMAINED BY HER SIDE DAILY AND HELPED IN HER FLAT SHE WAS SO FOND OF. THEN ON MAY 21 1998,WE WERE OBLIGED TO PART FROM HER. THAT WAS A TERRIBLE DAY FOR US, AS WELL AS FOR HER EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS NO LONGER ABLE TO EXPRESS GRIEF. WHENEVER WE VISITED HER AT THE HOSPITAL,WE TRIED TO RECREATE THE FAMILY NUCLEUS WHICH HAD BEEN SO SUDDENLY BROKEN. AFTER EXPERIENCING ANGER, REVOLT, LONELINESS AND THE FEELING OF HELPLESSNESS WHEN CONFRONTED TO THE CHANGING NATURE OF MIREILLE'S PERSONALITY,AS TIME WENT BY,WE HAD TO FACE REALITY.
THREE YEARS LATER MIREILLE COULDN'T TELL WHO WE WERE, SHE NO LONGER ANSWERED OUR QUESTIONS, SHE DIDN'T LOOK AT US, BUT GAZED INTO EMPTINESS. ALTHOUGH WE KNEW HER BEST REMEMBRANCES HAD BEEN ERASED FROM HER MEMORY, WE NEVER DESERTED HER. JUST BY TAKING HER HAND TALKING TO HER, WE COULD UNDERSTAND SHE NEEDED TO FEEL OUR PRESENCE BESIDE HER. WE REALLY WISH TO THANK THE HOSPITAL STAFF WORKING IN THE ULD DEPARTMENT FOR THEIR DEVOTION, PATIENCE AS WELL AS FOR SUPPORTING US WHEN WE WENT THROUGH HARD TIMES. WE NEEDED TO BE HELPED AND UNDERSTOOD AND WE FOUND SOMEBODY TO CONFIDE IN TO VENT OUR GRIEF. IT'S TRUE THAT WHEN YOU GIVE,YOU RECEIVE AND YOU SOON REALIZE THAT ISOLATION IS NOT THE PROPER REACTION.
WE HOPE THAT FROM UP THERE, MIREILLE IS WATCHING US WITHOUT JUDGING US TOO MUCH, BECAUSE, WHATEVER WE DID, WE ARE OFTEN OVERCOME BY THE FEELING THAT WE DIDN'T DO ENOUGH FOR HER. MAY SHE REST IN PEACE.
HER ANGELIC FACE, HER SMILE, THE SOUND OF HER LAUGHTER, HER MAGNIFICENT BLUE EYES AND EVERYTHING SHE DID FOR US,WILL REMAIN ENGRAVED IN OUR HEARTS FOR EVER.
AT HOME, IN VINCENNES, SHE HAD ARRANGED A SMALL GARDEN ON THE BALCONY ; SHE USED TO LOOK AFTER HER RED ROSES SHE LOVED SO MUCH, ALWAYS FOLLOWED BY CHLOÉ HER BELOVED POODLE.
AFTER ALL THE ORDEALS YOU SUFFERED AND AS A PROOF OF OUR GRATEFULNESS,WE OFFER YOU ALL THE ROSES YOU WISH.
YOUR HEART IS A BUNCH OF LOVE AND THIS LOVE, IS THE NICEST PRESENT YOU OFFERED US IN ALL THE YEARS WE SPENT TOGETHER.
NOW IN THE GARDEN WHERE YOU REST, RELIEVED OF ANY PAIN, YOU WILL RADIATE FOR EVER AND WE KNOW THAT UP THERE, YOU ARE THE PRETTIEST ROSE OF ALL AND THAT YOUR BEAUTY WILL NEVER FADE.
WE CAN PAY RESPECT TO MIREILLE WHOSE LIFE WAS A SHINING EXAMPLE TO US ALL. WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL THE HAPPINESS YOU BROUGHT TO US.
TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF - TAKE CARE OF US. WE ARE PROUD OF YOU. WE WANT TO BE WORTHY OF YOU AND WE HOPE WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH ALL THOSE HARDSHIPS WITH DIGNITY.
WE LOVE YOU - WE MISS YOU - OUR HEARTS ARE BROKEN - WE' LL NEVER FORGET YOU. SEE YOU MIREILLE. SEE YOU MUM.