Sad farewell to ‘Angel’ mom
Elmien (Miena) Avenant, 41, leaves behind her husband, son and the two daughters she took in after their own mother became terminally ill.
Family and friends in Pretoria bid a sad farewell to Elmien (Miena) Avenant on Monday morning.
Miena, 41, died of a Covid-related illness on May 10.
A small group of mourners attended a service at the NG Church Villieria on Monday morning after Miena was buried on 14 May.
Miena, described by her loved ones and friends as an “Angel”, lived with her husband Paul and son Gawie in Les Marais.
Earlier this year, she opened her heart and home to two girls, Kayla (19) and Riana (11) Sharpe, whose own mother is now terminally ill.
Kayla spoke to Rekord earlier about the sad and tragic events that the family experienced in a short period of time.
First, Kayla’s single mother Janine was diagnosed with aggressive cervical cancer, which is now terminal, then sister Riana’s father died in March.
In early May, the girls’ “other Mom”, Miena, tested positive for Covid-19.
“It’s so sudden. I think we are all still on autopilot and doing the things that need to be done,” Kayla told Rekord shortly after Miena’s death.
Kayla, who had to look after her young sister for a long time and work in between her studies, said Miena was her “anchor”.
“I will be forever grateful for what Tannie Miena, Oom Paul and Gawie did for me and my sister.”
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Friends of the Avenant and Sharpe families shared their condolences.
“Miena was a real angel who left her footprints forever in our hearts. The few times I saw her, she greeted me like a family member,” said north resident Riana van Aarde.
Other friends described her as “gentle and loving, with compassion for all people”.
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