Lauren Wrigley, Meadowridge
Last year in November, my dear grandmother, Betty Hill, died suddenly. This was sadly just before she was able to see her daughter, Sandy Hill, me and her grandson, Jake Wrigley, all graduate at the same time from UCT.
My grandmother absolutely loved reading the Constantiaberg Bulletin (although she still called it the Bergvliet Bulletin), and for months before she died she spoke of her dream of having a picture of us three (my mom, my brother and myself) together in our gowns in the Constantiaberg Bulletin, highlighting that all three of us are generations from the local Bergvliet High School.
In fact, before she went in for her operation on the day that she died, she looked to me and told me that I must “remember to put us in the Bergvliet Bulletin”.
It has been some time since then, mainly due to not being able to process her death, but I know (however strangely enough) this was important to her.
My mom and I graduated together in December, myself with a Master’s degree in commercial law and my mom with a Master’s in people management (commerce), but, unfortunately, my brother had to have his graduation by electronic means due to Covid-19 that came soon after.
Luckily we got a picture of us three at my and my mom’s graduation.
My grandmother was a strong, joyful and smart woman, who raised a daughter who carries the same traits. My mom is a single mom, and therefore the four of us were always incredibly close. We miss my gran very much.