"Diva was the more intelligent eloquent me, Diva said she just had a different environment and upbringing to the one I had which had enabled her to thrive. The reality is though that any life I provided was motivated and inspired by her. Without Diva I would never have campaigned for the rape centre or gone to uni. At times I probably wouldn’t have got up in the morning. When she was leaving for uni I even dreamt I got a tattoo on my right arm saying Divalicious, because she was my right arm and I didn’t know life without her. For years Diva called me moomin before I realised a moomin was even a thing! Still to this day I have no idea why, maybe she thought I resembled one!

 

From the time she could string a sentence together I couldn’t win an argument with her. When I told her if she didn’t go to sleep I would shut the door and turn the light off she asked me how I would turn the light off if I had shut the door. This is when I knew I had to wise up, but Diva was always one step ahead.

 

Life wasn’t easy when she was young, but we made the best of it. We both worked hard to achieve more than was expected of us. We made a great team. Diva’s early experiences of rejection and prejudice meant she had a deep understanding of the struggles that the children that shared our lives experienced. She was a great advocate often backing the young people who came to be part of our family when they disagreed with rules or boundaries. With Diva on their side they couldn’t lose. If Diva was ever unsure how she could help, she would research until she had an answer for them.

 

Diva was unapologetically herself, you could either love her or hate her and she didn’t mind which. From politics to clothing she would have strong opinions on how I should think, dress and conduct myself, and if I had a different opinion clearly I was wrong. I often questioned who was actually mum! I named her Diva at her Godmother Emma’s suggestion, as I felt the meaning of being a welcoming light in the Diwali festival and also meaning a high-ranking opera singer, would stand her in good stead to be a shining success at whatever she chose to do. Little did I know her name would evolve to be what it is today. Diva owned it though and anyone who met her could never forget her. Loyal to friendships, those she loved knew it.

 

Diva was a light in the dark just like the Moon she adored."

Sinead Gibson