Thea Nerissa Barnes
THEA NERISSA BARNES
December isn’t a great month for me, actually, it’s downright shitty.
In this month that most people celebrate love and family – I see mine dwindling.
My cousin, Darren Eastmond, left us on December 9th 2010.
My dad, Frederick Lawrence Kojo Bartels, December 26th 2013.
Thea Nerissa Barnes December 28th 2018.
What does one say about this woman, the legend, the beauty. it’s difficult to put into words.
I can say I am blessed and honoured to have known her, to have been her right-hand for 10 years glorious years and to be considered her daughter. It warms my heart when her sister, Denise, who I’ve never met, knows exactly who I am and can tell me stories about my time with Thea, because Thea spoke about me to her. It amazes me that this brilliant woman thought of me and considered me enough to share with her beloved.
Thea is an exacting woman, much like my own mother, which is most likely why we connected in ways that most people would not know or understand.
There were many who found her difficult, strict and demanding, I thrived with those requirements. For me, that is love – the epitome of love. She never let you do less than you were capable of, in fact, she downright made you do more than you ever thought you were able to achieve.
I’ve known about her battle with cancer since it began but and it was something that we kept between us. This last month when the fiercely private Thea, allowed others to learn of her health issues was beautiful. I saw how much others loved and appreciated her, even if at the time they received her lessons which were really blessings, they wanted to punch her in the face. Eventually, they all saw the beauty that she shared and the unconditional love she gave to every single person that passed through the doors of the Lion King London for the past 18 years and on her journeys before.
We took her to the theatre on December 9th, and it was stunning. Cast and crew waited to share their moment with her knowing that it was now or never and she received all the love she gave and deserved. Those of us who are given the task of teaching and sharing and the ones who aren’t given the love they deserve but she got it and for that I’m so happy.
I lost a mother today, and I cannot express what loss properly – I’m processing.
We spent this last year, talking with each other about our health conditions, how much we were angered by the betrayal our bodies imposed on us but also how we were going to give it the middle finger and fix it.
We are fixers and I’ll always ensure that I do just that to honour her always. There is nothing in this life that I can’t find the benefit and improvement in, because of her. Thea continued the things that my own parents taught me – she was my mother and father in London when my own were in Trinidad and not easily accessible.
Getting the news whilst on Store Bay, Tabago, whilst spending time with my loved ones in a paradise created by whatever or whomever blessed us. I wouldn’t have wanted to be anywhere else to receive the news, accept it and be ok with it.
She left us peacefully, with her sister at her side and having made sure she got back to Chicago knowing that lengthy travel wouldn’t be easy. She endured for the people she loved. Thea solidered on for as long as she did for the people she loved, and lived her life in that manner for the us that she loved and those she didn’t love but saw that there was more in them and made them see that as well.
I am comforted knowing her legacy lives on in so many performers who have had the privilege of working with and learning from her. I am comforted knowing that I received so many blessings from her and that she will always be with me in everything I do.
I am comforted knowing that she loved me enough to share her struggles with me knowing how fiercely private she is.
This rock that we all expected to outlive us all, has gone to a better place to watch over us all and continue whispering to us to be better, to keep going, to never settle, all those beautiful and necessary life lessons she shared with us over the years.
We are blessed and favoured to have known her and been loved by her. We need to continue and share her blessings with those less fortunate than us.
Thea Nerissa Barnes is a legend, earthly and heavenly.
