Erica Virtue, Senior Gleaner Writer

She did not enter the world in a white flowing gown with wings as angels are usually depicted; however, Lenny Little-White is convinced that the little sister his mother gave him when he was five years old, was the angel she promised him weeks before Heather was born.

Crippled by the bullet of callous cowards in July 1999, Heather Little-White did not harbour bitterness or contempt.

Instead, she became a beacon of hope, inspiration and a voice for the disabled community, to whom she believed Jamaica's political establishment only paid lip service.

Damali Little-White Lorenz, niece of the late Dr Heather Little-White, who read the tribute on behalf of her father, Lenny, Heather's brother, said her father requested her to read the family tribute because he had "no more tears to shed, my brain cannot reconcile that she has made her transition, my heart is heavy with the pain of losing her".

In remembrance, Lenny wrote "One night when I was five years old, I saw my mother embroidering a flying bird on a window curtain she was sewing by hand. We lived in a small wooden house in the district of Somerton, 12 miles from Montego.

"That night, I asked my mother why she was creating a bird. She told me in a quiet understated response that the bird will soon bring an angel into the house. I got excited."

At five years old he did not understand anything about the changing form of women's bodies, and his mother's growing stomach meant little to him.

Child's naivety

When the curtains were done, there was still no evidence of an angel, but on coming home from school on May 8, 1952, he heard a cry from his mother's room. Telling himself that "angels don't cry", he went past individuals at his house to see a little baby lying on the bed beside his mother.

"With a child's naivety, I said, 'Mother, that's a baby, not an angel.' My mother replied, 'This is an angel called Heather'."

The late nutritionist, wife, friend, sister, motivator, brought mourners from politics, sports, music, law, business, women's groups, household helpers, retired and active professionals to the Karl Hendrickson Auditorium at Jamaica College yesterday for her thanksgiving service.

She was remembered in songs, poetry, and long, lovely and lush praise as a woman who was undeterred by her physical situation after the gunman's bullet.

Heather's life was chronicled from the day she entered the world, with glowing praise for her as having a heart like no other; a clean and contented spirit; a sportswoman; a true Jamaican patriot, teacher; until her departure on January 22, 2013.

Mourner after mourner in tribute made it clear, that Heather's candle burned out long before her legend will.