A Picture-perfect Family

Life was relatively easy for my family 15 years ago. My mum, Francis Kay Burnhardt, now 51, had given up her modelling career to start a family while my dad was the sole breadwinner. My parents were leaders for our church’s children’s ministry and doted on us. Our family was complete, with mum, dad, two daughters, and three sons, including me.

Life took a sharp turn one day. My dad was away on a business trip to Jakarta when we received a call – he had suddenly passed away due to unknown circumstances. We were not prepared for life without him. Our mum, jobless and grieving, managed to look after a sixmonth- old baby and four crying children through sheer determination and love.

When my father was alive, my mum was a pampered woman: she had two maids looking after her as a stay-at-home mum. After my father’s death, she selflessly accepted a total lifestyle change so our lives would not change drastically. She took on odd jobs, working tirelessly from home, sewing curtains and baking cakes. As we got older, she took on more jobs to finance our education. She sold food in a canteen from 6 am and rushed home to monitor our homework, before working as a makeup artist in the evenings.

We may never understand what our mum went through to provide us with the basic necessities. From living a glamorous lifestyle as a fashion model to working as a school canteen operator requires humility that could have only been driven by love.

While providing for us financially was tough, providing emotionally was tougher. My mum was a wreck after my father’s death; we knew she was struggling, yet she always managed to put up a strong front. Our mother’s tenacity, spirit and love has rebuilt this family, kept it together and even put me through school.

Fifteen years on, we still spend weekends as a family and have managed to defy stereotypes associated with a single-parent family. Thanks to her, this family portrait is still picture-perfect.

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