Marlene Le Roux and her late son Adam. Picture: Instagram
The CEO of Artscape Theatre and human rights activist Marlene le Roux marked her 56th birthday, with a heartfelt tribute to her late son Adam George.
Adam died onAugust 25, 2017, at the age of 15.
Adam had cerebral palsy, a group of disorders that affect an individual’s ability to control their muscles and movement.
It is a lifelong condition that primarily manifests in childhood and is caused by abnormal brain development or damage to the developing brain, usually before or during birth.
Taking to her Instagram page on Saturday, Le Roux reflected on the enduring pain of losing her son, while cherishing the memories and light he brought into the world.
She emphasised the resilience and strength required to cope with the loss, reminding her followers of the profound impact a child’s death could have on a parent’s life.
“Life takes and it gives,” she wrote. 6 years ago, on September 16, “at dusk, as the sun set, as we sang 'môre sal die son weer skyn' we interred my Angel Adam’s small box of ashes containing his laughter, joy, resilience- a Light for so many.
“Today, I am only a mother with a hole in my heart that will be there forever. Time does not heal. One just learns to live with the pain.
“For months before, I prepared the garden for my dear mom Tietie’s 75th, my beloved daughter Aimee's 21st, and my own 50th on 17th September.
“It turned out that the garden was in preparation for a funeral and a life celebration. One learns to live through the pain. Indeed, the sun rises again.“
Amid her grief and loss, Le Roux expressed her appreciation and pride in her daughter, Aimee, her source of joy and strength during the difficult times.
“One learns to live through the pain. Indeed, the sun rises again. Today, we celebrate Aimee, who is basking in that very sun with her many talents, living her dream and being a daughter that I am so very proud of. Indeed, life takes, and it gives.”
She concluded her message by thanking everyone for their unwavering support during the loss and hardship.
“New beginnings. Thank you to all the angels for protecting and praying for us. I am humbled 🙂”
Le Roux recently announced her decision to become the patron of the organisation, Lief en Leed, in honour of Adam’s memory and life.
Le Roux’s involvement as a patron not only honours her son’s memory but also allows her to contribute to a cause that is meaningful and close to her heart.
Lief en Leed aims to empower and support Mamre community members living with disabilities.
“On Sunday 20 August I was privileged to attend a High Tea function organised by an organisation called Lief en Leed in the small West Coast town of Mamre,” shared Le Roux.
“What makes this organisation so remarkable is that it was started more than 20 years ago by people who live with disability for people who live with disability in Mamre, to create a safe space where their members can encourage and inspire each other as well as learn and make crafts to sell.
“Their reason for this fundraiser on Sunday? To pay tribute to the women in their organisation because it is Women’s Month, but most importantly, to raise funds towards building a Centre for Excellence for the empowerment of all people in the Mamre area, not just the disabled, a centre which they will manage as persons living with disability and for which they will make the decisions.
“I said yes to be the patron of this life-changing organisation, Lief en Leed – persons with disabilities empowering and asserting themselves while living a full life – in memory of my late son, Sunshine Adam George, who also had cerebral palsy and sadly left us at the age of 15 on 25 August 2017.
“This is the project that makes it possible for me to give back, to be able to say: ‘Môre sal die son weer skyn’ (Tomorrow the sun will shine again).”
In her post, Le Roux called for more volunteers to join organisations like Lief en Leed, highlighting the collective efforts of individuals who were willing to give their time and energy to support meaningful causes.
“Lief en Leed cannot do it alone. They need more volunteers who are also heroes. Our work is not done. Let us work together to advocate for change, let us be the change, let us join Lief en Leed and many like them to work for justice, equity, equality and humanity for all people.”
Le Roux contracted poliomyelitis at a young age, which left her with a weakened leg, leading to her strong advocacy for women and girls with disabilities.
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