By Kevin, Rodney and Jeremy Nazareth Patricia was born on 15th April 1974. Though her adoptive parents, Stella and Ignatius D’Costa, had been married for many years, God had not blessed them with a biological child of their own. They were a happy couple who had a lot of love to share – which they readily did with their many friends and family members. However, they always felt there was something intangible missing in their relationship, so when they were told that a baby girl was available for adoption; they wasted no time in taking that child into their home and their hearts. Patricia joined the D’Costa family in the early days of May 1974, the family home then being situated in Dholi Khatta. Patricia’s addition to the family revitalized her parents’ marriage and filled their home with happiness and joy. Even though her parents had taken on the responsibility of raising a child in the autumn years of their lives, they were completely devoted to Patricia and her wellbeing became their over-riding priority. Patricia’s childhood was not unlike most others – a mix of good times and bad. The bad times came in the form of her developing “Infantile Rheumatoid Arthritis” at a very early age. The disease resulted in delayed development and she only started walking when she was past two years of age. Her parents took her to every specialist in Karachi, and even as far as Hyderabad, in search of a remedy for her ailment, but to no avail. The disease resulted in the curvature of her spine and deformation in both knees. The family moved to a new home in Saddar in 1981. That home in the Al-Saddar building was later described by Patricia and her father as their happiest. They say that ‘Home’ is where you grow up and for most of her childhood that Al-Saddar flat was truly her home, one which was tinged with both sweet and sad memories. It was in that home that, unfortunately, her mother Stella, passed away in the cold hours of a January morning in 1989. Patricia was devastated by her mother’s death that year and had by then also lost the ability to walk. She was confined to a wheelchair; until that time, she had been carried by her father up and down the stairs and transported to and from St. Joseph’s Convent school with the aid of a Ghora Gharry (Victoria carriage). She was barely 14 years old when her mother died, studying in Class Nine. Her father was no longer physically able to take her to school, so she had to be home schooled for the last year-and-a-half of her high school. Patricia was a very good student and passed her Matriculation exams with flying colours in 1990. Fortunately for Patricia, she was blessed with a wonderful group of friends and classmates who coaxed her into completing her Matriculation and supported her wholeheartedly. Maryanne, Judel, Annie, Cesca, Diana, Valentina and Zenna, to name a few (forgive us if we have missed anyone out), came over every morning on their way to school to give her a hug and a freshly plucked rose from their balconies. They stopped by again on their way home from school with lessons to copy and homework to be done. Patricia loved reading and she especially loved poetry. She had a great talent for writing the most wonderful poems about the people and things that she cared about. Among the other things she loved were music, watching movies and comedy programmes on television and playing Scrabble. The touching letters she wrote are remembered by all. She particularly loved food – among her favourite items were crabs, KFC, fish pie, mashed potato and beetroot, while cabbage, mangoes and UB chicken patties were her least favourite! In January 1992 she underwent surgery at the Aga Khan Hospital to straighten her locked knees. The surgery was successful and after the post-surgery physiotherapy she was able to walk by herself a few months later. Albeit slow, she was mobile again. However, she was still not able to manage the three flights of stairs at the Al-Saddar building and it was for this reason that her father decided sometime around 1998-1999 to sell the flat there and buy a ground floor flat in F.C.C.H.S. This gave Patricia a chance to go out more often and see and do the things that she had missed out on for so many years. The years flew by and her life was marked by both personal achievements and physical setbacks. Her rheumatoid arthritis caused more medical complications in her life and she battled them all with her usual patient, positive and accepting attitude. She was never one to gripe about anything for a long time. She handled each challenge as best she could and reveled in the personal victories when they came. 2006 was a very bad year for Patricia. Her medical condition deteriorated and she had at least 2 hospital stays. Then on the 20th October of that year came the second most heartbreaking moment of her life. Her beloved father, Iggy, passed away suddenly. The grief of losing her father devastated Patricia. He had been her tower of strength, her pillar, her care-giver, for so many years. He had spent so much time and attention on her increasing health problems that he often neglected his own. After her father’s death, Patricia moved in with her Nazareth cousins for a brief period. In January 2007, she opted to move in with friends in the Cantt area. We know she was surrounded by a group of supportive friends and neighbours in the Anthonian Apartments who took very good care of her during the last few years of her life. Patricia passed away at 5.15 pm on the 7th July 2011 after completing her journey on this earth. N.B.: When we, her cousins, were asked by a close friend of hers to write this short bio on Patricia for the Christian Voice, we were at first reluctant for fear of appearing hypocritical. As in all families, there were times of misunderstanding and of dissension between Patricia and us. We loved her very, very much; after all, it was in our home that she virtually grew up, spending her early years sitting on our father’s knee. Sadly, for the last few years of her life we were not in contact or on speaking terms with her. However, it was we who took her to her first Chinese restaurant (in a wheelchair), shopping to Zainab Market (again in a wheelchair), gave her a taste of her first pizza from Flury’s and first ice cream at Baskin-Robbins in Clifton. The first time she held a baby rabbit in her hands and cuddled a duckling, when she tasted her first pistachio nuts was at our house. We shared her pain and her suffering and helped her celebrate her achievements and milestones. Even though at times we might not have lived up to her expectations of us, we know Patricia loved us all very much as well. All the happy years together, the love shared and the good times do not get undone by a couple of bad years. If there is one lesson we have learned from Patricia’s life and journey on this earth, it is that we need to forgive more easily – to not dwell on the negatives but move on to the next stage of our journeys. Like her good friend Patrick Gomes said in his eulogy for her, “We hope that she is dancing now wherever she is.” The White Chariot by Julie Johnson During your journey on your final flight home. White wings will carry you and you will be flown. To the pearly gates of Heaven, where they will usher you in. To the feet of your Lord, your Saviour, and your friend. He will hold you in His arms and the angels will sing. As another one of His children is delivered by white wings.