Maria Do Rosario Mota Sousa

Maria Do Rosario Mota Sousa was born on the beautiful Island of Sao Miguel in the Azores Portugal on Aug 2nd 1949.

Due to economic struggles and hardship Maria and her husband Antonio along with their 2 year old daughter Lucy decided to leave their homeland for a better future and made their way to Toronto Canada. It was in 1970 that the Canadian journey began. Like many others, at that time they arrived with hopes, dreams and a very strong work ethic. They did their best to learn a new language and adapt to the cold winters.

It was a struggle but with time they grew to love and appreciate all that Canada had to offer. In 1973 their 2nd child Albano was born ( That's me ) followed by my brother Mark in 1980.

My mom was a wonderful woman with an infectious smile, a beautiful soul who was loved by everyone. She was a people person and loved it most when the house was full of family and friends. Weekends were all about cooking and large family gatherings. Nothing brought a smile more to her face than having a house full of people, enjoying her authentic homemade Portuguese food made with love. For her, it wasn't work, it was a privilege. Saturdays were homemade pizza night and Sunday was church and BBQ. All were welcome. As a child I can hardly remember a weekend where our home wasn't filled with family or friends watching the hockey game or playing cards. The kitchen table was certainly the heart of our home and my mom made that heart beat. Her personal recipe catalogue which she wrote and added to for decades was gifted to my wife and has now become a Sousa family heirloom to be handed down to the next generation. Not only was my mom a fabulous chef, a modern day Portuguese Martha Stewart, she was also gifted with the talent of being a seamstress.

When my mom was not busy entertaining a full house, she could be found lounging in her favourite chair, with a cup of tea reading a magazine or filling in crossword puzzles, I think that's how she learned English - although watching Days of our Lives may have also helped.

One of my fondest and cherished memories of my mother was how she took great pride and joy in both her houseplants and her flower beds. My mother tried to replicate the beautiful roses and hydrangeas found growing wild all over her native Sao Miguel. If she only knew how the rest of the world is now discovering her native island.

On January 27, 2007, my mother went to her family doctor to check why her legs were swollen and bruised. She was sent directly to the emergency and admitted the same day. It only took 2-3 days for her to be diagnosed with AML Leukemia. The diagnosis was unexpected and hit our family like a tsunami. She was 57 years young. Most of 2007 was spent in the hospital due to the very difficult treatments she was receiving. This took its toll on her (as well as our family) both physically and mentally. After many months in the hospital, she often said that she wouldn't see the outside world again. I encouraged her to keep fighting and that we would be on a beach in the Caribbean with our feet in the soft beautiful white sand (Sao Miguel is a volcanic Island with Black sand) in less than a year. With the blessing from her Hematologist, in February of 2008 our crew of 12 made our way to the Dominican Republic and realized that vision. It was bliss. Unfortunately, a stem cell match wasn't in the cards. My mom passed away at home in her own bed surrounded by our entire family on July 8, 2011.

Just a few short months after my mom passed was my first experience with Light The Night®️. I held a Gold lantern that year in her Honour. Little did I know that just 4 years later in 2015 I would now walk holding a white lantern. My wife and daughter now hold that Gold lantern and my son who is now in his 5th year of remission also holds a white lantern having been diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma in 2021 at the age of 19. We walk as a family, as a grounding experience each year, a reminder to be humble and grateful. Lastly, a day dedicated for reflection and to honour my mother and the many people who have lost a loved one to a blood cancer.

Maria was survived by her husband Antonio (deceased 2015), her three children Lucy (deceased 2022), Albano and Mark. She has 7 Grandchildren: Jonathan, Matthew, Chelsea, Christina, Cassandra, A.J and Audrey, son-in-law Paul and daughter-in-law Bernadette.

In her final days she expressed over and over to me to be sure to live life, love life and enjoy all life has to offer, see the world and appreciate the small things.

As the saying goes ...”Don't be too busy making a living that you forget to make a life."