00:00M.P. for Dabbedy O'Meara, a Rema mother of five, 48-year-old Lisa Morris-Julian was laid
00:22to rest on Thursday together with her first and last born children, 25-year-old Zion and
00:306-year-old Josiah Julian.
00:33The three died in a devastating fire at their Rema home just over two weeks ago.
00:38Her husband and other children were able to escape.
00:42At the joint funeral service, Morris-Julian's surviving daughter Anya delivered the eulogy.
00:48On this day, one year ago, she sent me this message on WhatsApp.
00:53As we start a new year, I want God to teach you the importance of gratitude and empathy.
00:59This tragedy forced me to learn these traits better than I ever did before.
01:07She didn't get to achieve everything she wanted to, and Sunday before she passed, we talked
01:12about how 2025 was our year and how we were lucky girls.
01:18Despite this, she has touched the lives of her constituents.
01:21She has made a difference in all our lives and made political strides she didn't dream
01:25of making before.
01:27Julian's selflessness, she says, was unparalleled.
01:31And while her political impact was deep, motherhood was her greatest calling.
01:36She recalled a memory with she and her surviving brother.
01:40As usual, Isaiah and I were fighting.
01:43When she couldn't take it anymore, she shouted at us that when she died, we will be all each
01:47other have, and we need to learn to get along.
01:51I know she didn't expect that he and I will really only have each other in the end.
01:56She demanded that we said three things we love about each other, and instead of listening,
02:00we continued to provoke each other.
02:03So let me tell you now, Isaiah, I love that you know how to stand up for yourself.
02:11I love that your humor is just like Zion's, so I could still have a piece of her.
02:18And I love how protective you are.
02:20And just know, I have you forever.
02:23At the Santa Rosa Church, Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley, in a tribute, said he was still
02:28in shock and disbelief over their deaths.
02:31There has been no better person that I have met who have offered herself for himself for
02:39service, and who have taken it in the best way it could be taken, than Lisa Morris Julian.
02:55And for her to have been taken from us in this way, with her daughter and her young
03:02son, we need and we must revisit our faith.
03:08The Parliamentary and PNM colleague MP Camille Robinson-Regis also paid tribute during the service.
03:15Lisa was more than just a colleague.
03:19She was a friend, a daughter, and for many of us, a moral compass and a fellow traveler
03:31on our political journey.
03:33Lisa will live on in our hearts and minds.
03:39Goodbye, my darling daughter.
03:44Goodbye, my sister.
03:45Goodbye, my friend.
03:48Speaking to the hundreds gathered in and outside the church, officiating priest Father Robert
03:54Christo encouraged people to love generously like Morris Julian did, and urged citizens
04:00to have more respect for others.
04:03When you recognize that you have eternal destiny and you have a divine nature, you will treat
04:07people different.
04:09You can't be a thing.
04:11You can't be an object.
04:13You can't just shoot anything you get.
04:14You can't just grab anything you get.
04:16That's a human being with an eternal destiny.
04:20You have to have perfect respect for the human person.
04:22There is something called free will, and you can choose your destiny today.
04:29Where are your children going?
04:31You're going to blame the government?
04:32Only the priest?
04:34All of us have responsibility.
04:35You, too, have.
04:46Cindy Raguba Tika Singh, TV6 News.
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