Islander Harriet Ward, a talented young writer and photographer, died suddenly and unexpectedly in November, having just turned 28.
Born on the Island, and living here (with brief jaunts to be based in France, London and America), she made friends wherever she went.
Our letter to you Harriet
This is penned by those lucky enough to have gone to Medina High School and Sandown High Sixth Form with her. Obituaries are usually written about people. This one is written to you, Harrie:
To our dearest Harriet,
Here are some things that we loved about you, and love about you still:
You grabbed life by the horns! Sometimes it was hard to keep up with you these last few years! Basing yourself in London, America, and lately in Ryde – you went out and did stuff, as we hope this letter will indicate.
A truly loyal and caring friend
Your great diversity of friends, of many ages and backgrounds, and your devotion to them, is a testament to your character. You took genuine interest in others and showed kindness and love to those around you. You’d listen to our problems and try and help out in any way that you could. A truly loyal and caring friend through and through.
You took your passions seriously! From Arsenal Football Club, Harry Potter, Anne of Green Gables, running (with the pro’s in 2008), cycling, tennis (particularly one Rafa Nadal…), music (although sometimes of a highly questionable quality – the less said about The Bee Gees the better!) to travel and photography. As long as it was interesting, creative, and inspirational, you saw beauty in it where others may not.
Your love of photography
Travel and photography in recent years became your dual occupations, as you sold images as stock photos and for greetings cards, realised photography projects in London and America, and kept up a blog of your work.
Through Twitter and Instagram, followers around the world marvelled at the way you captured the world around you. You worked so hard on your online shop, and your calendar. Hopefully your images (some of which can be found here) will remain as a testament to your talent for many years to come.
Incredible strength
Meanwhile, you were always so proud of us, and ready to encourage. You encouraged us to do the things that would bring us joy and fulfilment, affirming us when we were unsure, and drawing on this belief in us to inspire greater belief in yourself.
Your faith in us was unshakeable, and the strength that this brought us can never be repaid. You gave your support unstintingly and we will cherish it and keep it alive in our hearts.
Travelling author
What’s more, you WROTE A BOOK! By most people’s standards this is pretty exceptional, but you’d yet to reach 30! Right on sister.
‘Solo With A Suitcase’, on travelling as a woman alone, combined your experience as a travel agent (working on the Island in Bath Travel for five years until two years ago, and gaining qualifications in Tourism), your skill as a writer (also witnessed in your blog), and your penchant for travelling (often shared with friends).
By the way, we’re so glad you got to go on that trip to the States this year! The pictures you took are wonderful. Although you never got to fulfil your dream of seeing Canada, especially Prince Edward Island, your fellow ‘Ladies who Lunch’, Kirsten and Laura, plan to take the trip sometime, hopefully next year, and we know that you will be there with them in spirit, avoiding the dairy products!
In your honour
You actively supported the causes close to your heart, through sponsored runs, Walk the Wight, and even abseiling down Spinnaker Tower.
In fact, in your honour, we’re hoping to run Race for Life next year, as you did twice (in aid of Refuge and The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance). We hope that witnessing our efforts to get fit, after years of lethargy (in some cases!) will make you giggle, wherever you are.
You embraced life and all its challenges with courage and perseverance, holding on to the hope and fresh opportunity that each new day brings. You inspired and will continue to inspire us to believe in ourselves and go for our dreams, as you did yours.
Your lasting legacy
Through our tears, we will remember with smiles the jokes that we shared with you (of which there were many – you loved to laugh!) and your beautiful photographs will be a souvenir of the happy times we spent together.
Most of all, we loved your friendship: slow to anger, quick to laugh, you really were the best of us. We will miss you always.
Thank you.
From Caris-Anne, Catherine, Daniel, Hannah, Hannah, Laura, Lynn, Jenny, Jess, Kasia, Kirsten and Megan.
You can see more of Harriet’s photography at http://harrietward.co.uk/
