Appreciation - Liana Caruana Curran

Hugh Grima, writes:

It wasn't just the sheer calm and resignation with which she accepted her terminal illness, nor the fact that practically to the end Liana was courteous and charming to her family, her friends, the medical and nursing staff at hospital - it was all these attributes and more - so much more which made up Liana's inimitable persona.

Liana was at once impulsive and yet cautious, bubbly and at times hesitant but always, always warm, generous and outgoing.

Liana was a free spirit - fond of travel, with a very strong weakness for the arts, but Liana mainly was a passionate lover of life. Hers were simple pleasures: watching a serene seascape or a vibrantly vivid sunset; engrossed in a lively conversation (characteristically with a cigarette and a glass of wine in hand) about some interesting art exhibition or about the philosophy of life in general; enjoying a long solitary walk with her adored dog Caravaggio...

I see Liana in so many guises and different moments of life. Yet her strength, and her all pervasive power and influence were never more keenly felt than in the last seven weeks of her life, spent in hospital with her health deteriorating daily. I was always amazed at the endless stream of visitors who kept her company and uncomplainingly supported her with evident glowing love.

Her winning smile lit up her room: always surrounded with masses of her favourite flowers, she whiled away the long hours enthusiastically conversing with whoever chanced to be there. I for one, can say that the way Liana tackled her illness was a humbling of death; she never once wavered or hesitated.

Her firm belief in God was what prepared her so well for her final passage. Her only regret, confessed so poignantly to me one day, was the awful hurt which her untimely death would cause to her dear mother. Wonderful to the end and surrounded by her doting, ever present family and friends, Liana's exit from this life was beautiful as she herself was both inside and out.

Having known her, how could anyone forget her?