Nominator

Zehra

Essay

The candidate I'm nominating is my very own mother Anne Mildred Teresa Jayatilaka (nee Connaire). She is an 87-year-young,  extremely independent and active woman. She is a retired registered nurse and hung up her uniform for good just 3-4 years ago! She plays bridge twice a week, is learning Mahjong and is an avid reader and belongs to a book club at the local library. She learned the basics of email since her retirement and corresponds with my sister and my children on a regular basis.

She lives with me and my family but is very independent and gets around by herself 99% of the time!. She does still drive, insists on doing her own shopping, cleaning and cooking!. She is my hero and an amazing role model to me, my sister and her grandchildren! She always has a smile and is ready to help at any time and in any way she can. She enjoys her 'GSN' channel and of course Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune! She is up on the political scene and world news and can hold her own in a conversation with my husband and children about the latest news and events!

She has a wonderful sense of humor which is an absolute must in my book and keeps her young! I'm ever so proud of her and also glad that she is so close to us! I can only hope and pray that I will be half the woman she is as I get older.