How do you bid farewell to someone who has devoted their life to taking care of you? For a compassionate woman in Singapore, the answer lies in a heartfelt gesture that immortalizes their shared memories within a cherished quilt.
Bringing Home a Piece of Our Lives
Derlyn, a skilled quilt-maker who markets her creations online, decided to create a memory quilt for her beloved Yaya—a term used for a caretaker in Tagalog—using her nieces and nephews’ clothing. Learning that her dedicated helper intended to retire and return to the Philippines, Derlyn embarked on this special project, documenting the process and eventual gifting of the quilt in a heartfelt TikTok video.
Derlyn expressed her gratitude, saying, “Auntie has been an integral part of my two sisters’ and my life for the past 34 years. She is essentially a permanent fixture in our family.”
Each family member contributed a personalized message to the quilt, imbuing it with even greater significance. “I wanted her to feel that she could take a piece of us back home to the Philippines,” Derlyn shared.
@quiltedbyderlyn I finally gave my Yaya her quilt. She leaves in the middle of June, and buying her flight ticket was unexpectedly heavy and difficult to do 💔 Goodbyes are tough. So I’m already checking out tickets to fly her to Singapore soon! 🇸🇬🇵🇭 #memoryquilt #partinggift #keepsake #farewell #goodbyes ♬ Menyentuh Hati – Yuda pratama
A Farewell That’s Not Goodbye
Determined to spare her Yaya the heartache of parting ways at the airport, Derlyn decided to present the quilt in the comfort of their home before the departure.
With tearful eyes concealed behind the quilt, Derlyn held it up with both hands. Overwhelmed by emotions, she later revealed, “I was silently crying as I held it up, hoping they wouldn’t notice.”
Eventually, Derlyn and her Yaya sat down together, reminiscing about the past while tracing their memories through the carefully stitched fabrics on the quilt.
Image from Mothership
“We retreated to a room and shed a few tears,” Derlyn candidly shared.
“Auntie, words cannot express how grateful we are to have you in our lives and for everything you have done for us. This isn’t goodbye, but rather, see you soon,” Derlyn conveyed in her heartfelt video.
By crafting this extraordinary memory quilt, Derlyn paid tribute to her devoted househelper, allowing their shared experiences to live on even when they are physically apart.