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It was a sea of pink at the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Bellas Gate, St Catherine, on Saturday, as villagers--young, middle-aged, and elderly--gathered to say goodbye to nine-year-old Maleiha Blake, affectionately called 'Mali' or 'Malibu'.

Clad in what was her favourite colour, they came not just to mourn, but to celebrate the vibrant spirit of a little girl who, despite her short time on Earth, left an indelible mark on everyone she met. Maleiha's charm and magnetic personality endeared her to the community. Her passing on June 2, just a day after falling ill, left many grappling with sadness and questions. Tears and red eyes filled the church, a reflection of the collective heartbreak.

In an emotional eulogy, her aunt Tiffany Pryce painted a vivid picture of a bright, loving child who fought to survive.

"Aunty, I am tired but I am fighting," she said were Maleiha's final words--testament to her courage in the face of pain. Pryce acknowledged that Maleiha's story didn't include the typical milestones of adulthood--no job, no children, no retirement--but her life was no less significant.

"Her short existence can be considered atypical... but her short life impacted many and this is what they held on to."

Though she lived with her mother, Maleiha shared a profound bond with her grandparents.

"Her grandmother Nadine Rhone and Nixon Aris, who she affectionately called Grandpa, treated her exactly [like] what she was to them--the apple of their eyes," Pryce said. Maleiha especially loved going on the road with Grandpa, "even if it meant to tie out goats".

Her love of learning stood out from her days at Highgate Basic School in St Mary, to her time at Bellas Gate Primary School. By grade two, she was excelling, driven by her passion and the promise of a tablet if she placed in the top five. Maleiha was also daddy's girl.

"Her father had a motorbike and the lady was so excited when her dad put her on the bike. Every bike she heard she would say, 'a daddy dat,'" said Pryce.

With her cousin Jayden, she found a weekend companion and partner in mischief.

"Mali tackled and bickered with her... she was a war boat like me," Pryce laughed, recalling the spirited but soft-spoken girl.

Maleiha's legacy will live on through the Maleiha Legacy Foundation, launched by family member and PNP representative for St Catherine West Central, Locksley Francis, offering a cash grant annually to a student at Bellas Gate Primary.

Gone too soon, Maleiha's light continues to shine.