LIVE. LAUGH. LOVE. THE WORDS ASHLIE PLATEK CARRIED AROUND WITH HER EVERYWHERE SHE WENT.

HER LAUGH IS THE THING I’LL REMEMBER MOST. SHE WAS SO DARN FUNNY EVEN IN HER FINAL HOURS.

‘YOU LIKE MY HAIRDO? DIDN’T TAKE LONG TO DO,” SHE JOKED, LYING ON HER HOSPITAL BED, SPIRIT SHINING BRIGHTER THAN EVER. SHE LOOKED SO INCREDIBLY BEAUTIFUL IN THE LAST FEW DAYS – NO HAIR, NO MAKEUP – JUST BEAMING WITH PURITY LIKE THE ANGEL THAT SHE WAS.

THEN ALL TOO RAPIDLY BEFORE OUR EYES, SHE WAS GONE. BUT I WOULDN’T BE DOING ASHLIE JUSTICE IF I DIDN’T TELL YOU HOW HARD SHE FOUGHT IN THOSE FINAL WEEKS, HOW FEROCIOUSLY SHE STARED CANCER IN THE EYES AND SAID ‘BRING IT’! WE CALLED HER OUR WARRIOR PRINCESS BECAUSE SHE REFUSED TO BELIEVE SHE WAS GOING ANYWHERE. BUT ON AUGUST 23^RD, SHE TRADED IN HER HIGH HEELS AND DRESSES FOR HER GOLDEN ANGEL WINGS AT HEAVEN’S GATE.

SHE WAS SURROUNDED BY A CONSTANT FLOW OF FRIENDS AND FAMILY AT HER SIDE, ENCIRCLING HER WITH THE LOVE THAT SHE SO UNCONDITIONALLY GAVE TO US.

THE REASON I WAS EVEN LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE ASHLIE IN MY LIFE IS BECAUSE MY OLDEST BROTHER ROB SWOOPED HER OFF HER FEET IN 2010 AND OFFICIALLY MADE HER MY SISTER-IN-LAW. THEIR LOVE RAN DEEP AND SHE REALLY WAS (AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE) ROB’S BIGGEST FAN. SHE NEVER DOUBTED ANY OF HIS DREAMS AND WAS QUICK TO CHEER HIM ON AS HE WORKED TIRELESSLY TOWARDS THEM.

WE ALL WATCHED AS ASHLIE TRANSFORMED MY BROTHER INTO A BETTER MAN – HE BECAME MORE OUTGOING, STYLISH AND JUST STRAIGHT- UP COOL – OVER THEIR DECADE-LONG RELATIONSHIP. THEY BALANCED EACH OTHER BRILLIANTLY. ASHLIE AND ROB WERE THE PERFECT PAIR, FINDING JOY IN SIMPLE THINGS LIKE SNUGGLING UP ON THE COUCH TO WATCH THEIR FAVOURITE TV SHOWS. I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT THEIR TWO FUR BABIES MISS HER COUCH CUDDLES TREMENDOUSLY – RICKY (THE DOG) AND LUCY (THE CAT).

ASHLIE WAS A WIFE, A DAUGHTER, A SISTER, A TALENTED ESTHETICIAN, A BEST FRIEND, AN AUNTIE AND MY DAUGHTER’S GODMOTHER. WHEN KINGSLEY WAS BORN EARLIER THIS YEAR I KNEW EXACTLY WHO I WAS GOING TO ASK TO WITNESS HER CHRISTENING. I TRULY BELIEVE THAT KINGSLEY’S BAPTISM IN EARLY APRIL, THE DAY AFTER ASHLIE’S 35^TH BIRTHDAY, WAS ONE OF THE BRIGHTEST DAYS IN HER LIFE.

SHE WAS JUST RADIATING AS SHE PLEDGED TO GUIDE MY BABY GIRL THROUGH HER FAITH. NOW SHE’S A TRUE GUARDIAN, WATCHING OVER HER NEPHEW AND FOUR NIECES. I’LL FOREVER REMIND KINGSLEY OF HER FAIRY GODMOTHER ASHLIE – A WOMAN WHO RELISHED IN LIFE’S SIMPLE PLEASURES AND HELD HER FAMILY ABOVE ALL ELSE.

THE LAST FEW DAYS, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SHARING STORIES AND MEMORIES ON ASHLIE’S FACEBOOK WALL. THEY ALL SHARE A COMMON THEME – HOW KIND ASHLIE WAS, HOW SHE GAVE FRIENDSHIP A FAIR CHANCE AT EVERY OPPORTUNITY. HOW SHE LOOKED EVERYONE IN THE EYES, WITH THE SAME RESPECT, AND MADE THEIR DAY BRIGHTER, JUST BY BEING IN IT.WE’RE SO LUCKY THAT ASHLIE BECAME A PLATEK. SHE FIT INTO OUR POLISH FAMILY PERFECTLY AND WE’RE ALL BETTER BECAUSE SHE CAME INTO OUR LIVES. HER QUIRKY SENSE-OF-HUMOUR WILL BE MISSED AT CHRISTMAS EVE DINNER, EASTER BREAKFAST AND ALL THE GATHERINGS IN BETWEEN. WE’LL MISS THE WAY THAT ROB USED TO PLAYFULLY TEASE ASHLIE, AND THE WAY SHE ALWAYS KNEW HOW TO ZING HIM BACK. WE’LL CONTINUE TO SET A PLATE FOR HER, JUST IN CASE SHE WANTS TO JOIN US FOR SOME WILD MUSHROOM SOUP AND PIEROGIES – MAMA BARBARA’S SPECIALTY. IT JUST WON’T BE THE SAME WITHOUT HER.

ASHLIE WAS OUR DIAMOND, OUR SHINING SISTER, OUR GLOWING GEM. WE’LL MISS HER DEEPLY AND CELEBRATE HER LIFE FOR AS LONG AS WE’RE HERE. LIVE, LAUGH, LOVE – JUST AS SHE PREACHED. WE’LL CARRY THESE WORDS WITH US EVERYWHERE WE GO. MY BROTHER MAY HAVE PUT IT BEST WHEN HE SAID OUR ASHLIE WAS AN ANGEL, WALKING THE EARTH FOR 35 YEARS. AFTER GRACING US WITH HER BEAUTY SHE FINALLY GOT HER WINGS.

ASHLIE, WE LOVE YOU – SHINE ON, SISTER. UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN.