My mum, Monika, was a shining light in my life. She was my guide, my mentor, my compass, and my best friend.

If there is one superpower that defined Mum, it was the size of her heart. She had an extraordinary capacity for kindness, patience, generosity and love. She genuinely cared about people, and throughout her life she touched countless lives.

Whether she was selling sewing machines and teaching people to sew, helping families create beautiful homes through working in the wardrobe business, or later selling flowers at the markets, Mum thrived on helping people.

She could strike up a conversation with anyone. Within minutes she would find common ground, make a genuine connection, and leave people feeling valued, even animals sensed her kind nature and followed her from when she was little. She spoke to everyone with warmth, humour and kindness. Mum made friends everywhere.

When she began the markets with Living Flowers, every weekend she would travel from Gympie to Eumundi and Brisbane, helping build a thriving flower business through her dedication, hard work and care. That little business wouldn’t have prospered without her because it wasn’t just about the flowers, it was about the people she connected and laughed with, she changed lives.

Family was always at the centre of Mum’s life. “Family first” wasn’t just something she said—it was how she lived. Some of the best moments of my life was when we’d travel to Gladstone from Rockhampton and see my Auntie Inge and Auntie Anne and see all my cousins, who were more like my brothers and sisters—every Easter and Christmas—which made these moments more special.

Other special moments growing up in Rockhampton is when Mum and I would go roller skating together. I loved watching her race around the rink in the fast skate. We would go swimming, visit the beach at Yeppoon, and enjoy life with our family when they visited. I remember one hot day in Rockhampton when the whole family was together, we didn’t have a pool and sprayed each other with hoses in our back yard.

When I grew up, Mum was there when my eldest daughter, Taylor, was born. She was a devoted grandmother to all my 5 children, creating treasured memories on the farm. During the school holidays she would take them to the beach, the duck pond, and the rock pools. Then when she moved to Coochiemudlo my children spent many days relaxing on the beach there. As a great-grandmother, she would travel to help Taylor and Liam with her great-grandchildren—Jack, Ollie and Cillian.

Mum had a love of travel and adventure. She explored the world, collected wonderful stories, and had a remarkable way of drawing people in. At family gatherings, she would often become the centre of the conversation—because people were drawn to her warmth, her humour, and her genuine interest in others.

What I admired most about Mum was her compassion. She saw the good in people. She gave freely of herself. She never stopped caring.

I hope that all of us carry a little of Monika’s spirit forward—her strength, her patience, her generosity, and her love. Her warmth touched so many lives, and although she is no longer with us, that light continues to shine in the people she loved and the lives she changed.

Thank you, Mum. I will miss you every day.