Kemisha Jeune

Kemisha has left us to be with Lord on July 29, 2018. She leaves a huge emptiness in our hearts. Like Jeanette Winterson once said “To lose someone you love is to alter your life forever… The pain stops, there are new people; but the gap never closes… This hole in your heart is the shape of the one you lost – no one else can fit it.”

Despite of our broken hearts and grief, I will focus upon Kemisha’s life. A short life that was exceptionally well lived, thank God.  On August 26, 1997 Jermise and St. Louis Jeune filled with joy, welcomed their second born, first baby girl into this world. A quiet baby who grew to become a beautiful young lady determined to make a mark in this world.

Kemisha was 20 years old, bright, caring, outgoing, funny, determined and the list can go on and on… to those who were close to her like her brothers, cousins and aunts can tell you she was a goofy and annoying girl at times. She had an inquiring mind, fascinated to learn new things. Once she put her mind into something, she gave it her all. We weren’t surprised when she became a vegetarian and stuck with it. Kemisha was a role model especially for her little sister Jemima; she encouraged her little sister to do great in school and in life. Jemima became a photocopy of Kemisha to a point where she even became a vegetarian because of Kemisha. Not only did Kemisha push her sister, she would also push her little cousins, my sisters, as well (Joeline, Wisna, & Renisha). Kemisha would have my sisters come over for the summer, give them a stack of books and have them read it then write a book report after. She would make them do research on the careers they wanted and ask them questions on how to achieve it. She was teaching them how to read and write and made them learn how to speak creole.  

At a very young age, we all knew Kemisha was special. While my cousins and I always played around the house you would always catch a book in Kemisha’s hand. She exceled in school, straight ‘A’ student. For this reason, she had her parents and many others wrapped around her fingers. Her outstanding academic achievement was not only because of God’s gift to her but Kemisha worked very hard for her grades. She would study day in and day out. She has received many honor roll certificates, made the Dean’s list several times and was a member of the National Honor Society. She graduated G-star school of the arts back in 2015.   

Kemisha had great plans after that. She had plans to become a doctor and open a women health clinics in Haiti. To pursue these plans, Kemisha was attending Howard University to complete her bachelor’s degree before going to medical school. In 2017, based on her grades she was selected to participate on a trip to Costa Rica to help people in need. In 2018, Kemisha had the opportunity to go to Key West on a fully sponsored trip because she was in the top 25% in her class.

Kemisha was loved by everyone; especially her parents not because they were her parents but because of the kind of person Kemisha was. Her parents would sacrifice a lot to make sure Kemisha achieve what she wanted. Her parents always supported her emotionally and financially. Kemisha and her mother were best friends. Whenever jermise needed advice she would listen to Kemisha’s opinion.

Kemisha was a gift from God to us. To have lost a person like Kemisha is heartbreaking and it has come as a shock to us all. Her life was far too brief. My family and I will never get over this.

Goodbye, sis. You will forever live in our hearts.