I met Aunty Jessie while piecing together my family tree. My grandmother (white woman) lived in the Torres Strait when she was 19yo and married and had a baby to Lorbrey Sailor, son of Gemai Sailor and James Nawie which was my mother but raised my Mum in Moe, VIC away from her TSI culture and family. My Mum passed in 2017 never ever finding Or meeting her father . So for the last 17 years I have been looking for Lorbrey and with the help of Aunty Jessie and other elders I was able to finally find him buried in South Australia. I first met Aunty Jessie through facebook and spoke to her regularly on the phone. We developed a closeness and I would call as she had dialysis to help her pass the time. The three times I’ve been up to Cairns she took me under her wing to show me around and would introduce me to people as “Melissa from down south, Grandma Gemais great grand-daughter”. Being raised in and out of foster care my whole life to now having no living parents or grandparents, this meant the absolute world to me to feel that sense of belonging. Aunty Jessie and I spoke for hours and when I completed my family tree and found the final resting place of my grandfather she was the first person I called! More than that she taught me so many things and showcased our culture to me each and every time I saw her. Aunty Jessie was a wonderful woman with a big heart. I praise God to have met such a genuine loving family member and friend on my journey. I’m without words as to how she passed.
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