Alma Ripitelli Rosato

A hero is someone who devotes themselves to the well being of everyone around them. Our mother, Alma Ripitelli Rosato was a genuine, loving and selfless woman. She was always ready to help others or anyone in need especially her family and friends. Her family always came first.

Alma was born in Ventosa, Italy on June 18, 1941. At the age of 12, she immigrated to Canada. Her strength, her will and courage began at an early age. She went to school but quickly was asked to go to work to help the family financially. She was only 12 when she entered the workforce. Listening to her tell us stories of her sacrifices and helping her family instilled in us the same values we possess today. We are more kinder and helpful human beings because of her influence. She showed us how to live life with grace, self-dignity and respect. Our mother’s motto was to always help others. She had many roles in her life; daughter, wife, sister, mother and grandmother. She was an awe-inspiring grandmother who once again proved to be selfless by retiring to raise her grandchildren. She guided and supported her daughters and their children. She was always there at every milestone, birthday, doctor’s appointment, school play and graduation.

A blood cancer first affected our lives in 2010 when our father became sick and was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Our mother devoted the rest of her days to take care of him. After a year of undergoing treatments, we were overjoyed when the specialist confirmed that he was in remission.

In March of 2013, our parents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary and the entire family travelled to Cancun, Mexico. It was a joyous time spent with our parents and family, however; after a few days our mother began having a fever which led to her feeling exhausted and very sick. It never crossed our minds that this was the demise of our mother. After 3 months of feeling irritable, exhausted and not herself we brought her to the hospital where she was admitted and doctors ran tests for a period of 3 weeks. The day before we found out the news that would change our lives forever, a resident doctor asked if he could suggest a bone marrow test.

For a second time, a blood cancer would affect our family. At the age of 72, our mother was diagnosed with an aggressive form of Acute Myeloid Leukemia. The news came that our mother was terminal. Her condition worsened as she kept on getting sick with fevers and bronchitis. The specialist’s suggested a variety of clinical trials but to no avail. Our lives were put on hold as we tended to her every need and kept her company. Two weeks before Christmas our mother’s condition worsened. We never gave up hope that she would get better and prayed for a miracle. On Christmas Eve morning surrounded by her family she passed away. She will be our Christmas angel looking over us forever.