Written by Hoda Karimi Sadra. Hoda is dear friend of Joan Leishman and an exiled writer from Iran. Joan helped Hoda and her son Ali achieve refugee status with the Canadian Government and begin a new life in Canada.
Some people don’t seek to be remembered, yet they become unforgettable. Joan was one of those rare souls — a woman made of light, whose presence whispered with quiet Strength and whose absence now echoes loudly in our hearts.
She wasn’t just a friend. Joan was a quiet revolution — the kind that doesn’t shout but transforms. Her compassion knew no borders, her generosity asked for nothing in return, and her courage lived in the small, steady ways she lifted others.
When the world around me was dark and uncertain, Joan stood beside me — not to be seen, but to ensure I wouldn’t be lost. She was the kind of woman who walked into your life like a
gentle breeze and remained like a pillar of strength.
Today, my son Ali stands beside me — living proof of Joan’s love and unwavering belief in justice, dignity, and hope.
Every time I look into his eyes, I see Joan. I remember her quiet fight, her fierce
kindness, her stubborn belief that love must win.
Joan has left this world — but how foolish it would be to say “she’s gone,” when her spirit lives on in the choices we make, the lives she touched, and the deep love she sowed in all of us.
Living alongside such a woman was not only a gift — it is the greatest honor of my life.
