ADI MEREONI Viseyaki Vacerei, a teacher at Lautoka’s Jasper Williams High School, walked into her graduation ceremony on Thursday carrying the memories of the two men who shaped her life – her late father, Joseva Tana Ratu, and her late husband, Adriu Jnr Vacerei, who both died last year.
But at the centre of her achievement were the six children who watched their mother rise from weight loss. Ms Vacerei’s moment spoke of a victory earned through faith, resilience, and a determination to hold her family together.
Relatives said she often leaned on prayer and the quiet strength of motherhood to guide her through the darkest months following the deaths of the two pillars in her life.
They said she balanced her responsibilities as a mother, a teacher, and a student with remarkable steadiness, even when she returned home to an empty space where her husband once stood, or when she longed for the reassuring voice of her father.
Thursday’s ceremony reflected more than personal achievement. It marked a new chapter for a woman who refused to let grief define her.
Those close to her said her late husband would have been proud of the steps she took to secure a better future for her children.
Her accomplishment was a tribute to the two men she lost, and a promise to keep moving forward for the family they loved.
