Ten years ago, Salacieli Serevi became a symbol of heartbreak when her image, a candid portrayal of her tears, graced the front page of The Fiji Times. At just ten years old, she was a young girl mourning the sudden loss of her mother amid the chaos of Cyclone Winston, which devastated Fiji on February 20, 2016.
On that harrowing night, while taking refuge in her uncle’s home used as an evacuation center in Qelekuro, Tailevu, Salacieli clung to her youngest sister as the storm raged outside. She vividly recalls the ominous sounds of the cyclone: the walls shaking and the wind howling angrily. In her mind, her priority was the safety and well-being of her siblings. Her mother, Sera Tinai, had stepped out to collect some belongings with the intention of joining them at the center. Salacieli, filled with hope, anticipated her mother’s return, believing wholeheartedly that she would come back as she always had.
As dawn broke, the devastation was revealed – homes reduced to rubble, trees uprooted, and lives irrevocably changed. It was during this tragic morning that disaster struck further as Salacieli’s father let out a scream, prompting villagers to rush towards him, thinking he had been injured. The grim reality of that scream was soon revealed; it confirmed Salacieli’s worst fears.
“I never thought it would be my mother. It didn’t even cross my mind,” she recalled. The truth shattered her innocence. “When my father told me it was my mother, I didn’t want to believe it. I kept thinking she would walk into the house. I kept waiting to see her.” That anticipated moment never came.
In the aftermath of Cyclone Winston, a child grappling with profound grief became the face of loss for many Fijians, as her image depicted a pain far too large for her young heart to bear. “It’s like a bad dream I can’t wake up from. A bad memory glued to my brain,” she expressed, reflecting on the indelible mark left by that night.
As the months went by, Salacieli’s family, like many in Fiji, exhibited resilience and determination, focusing on rebuilding their lives. After completing primary school in Tailevu, she moved to Suva to attend Ratu Sukuna Memorial School. “Leaving home was hard because that’s where I felt close to my mum and family, but I knew I had to continue with life. My mother always told us that school was the way forward,” she said.
With the support of her older siblings providing tuition, Salacieli has taken it upon herself to work part-time at RCL Services to manage her education costs. “I want to manage my fees on my own. My family has done more than enough,” she stated firmly, embodying the spirit of independence and determination. Every day she remembers her mother, and she continues to honor her memory with every step she takes towards her future in Information Technology.
Salacieli’s story is a poignant reminder of resilience amidst tragedy, as she paves her path forward while cherishing the memories of the mother she lost all those years ago.
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