Story: Melissa, 2004 / Interviewed by Ana Matilde
Since I was little, I spent a lot of time with my grandfather due to my parents’ work. I lived with him until the age of 7 and when my parents began to have a bit more time for me, I went to live with them.
It was March 13, 2020, the beginning of the quarantine in Portugal and my parents were frontline workers in the hospital since the beginning of Covid-19 pandemic. I was alone at home. After a couple of months passed by, I started to miss them. One day I received a call from my father. He apologized to me. I asked him what was going on and he replied that my mum could not make it. I remember falling to the ground with tears running down my face, because I had just lost one of the most important persons in my life. For months, I denied the truth about my mum passing away. I could not believe that she was no longer on Earth. I really loved my mum and when I lost her, I felt that I was no longer a person. I never thought that the last time I would hear her voice would be at such a young age. It was painful.
I really loved my mum and when I lost her, I felt that I was no longer a person.
My father was not well and he could not take care of me, because he was mourning, so I returned to live with my grandfather. When I arrived at his house, he was waiting for me with his arms wide open, ready to give me a hug.
My grandfather gave me this clock, after the disaster I went through. He gave it to me so that I would never forget him. Since I lost my mother, I was afraid I would lose my grandfather too. He promised me that every morning when I wake up, I will see him in the living room. He said that if he wasn’t there in person, he would be in spirit. That gave me hope that I will not be alone again and it helped me to move on from the past.
Despite my experiences, I have a bright future ahead of me with plenty of positive opportunities. I just have to learn how to accept the past and move on. We know that life sometimes is not fair, but we have to stay positive.
Melissa, 2004
