The renowned businesswoman and philanthropist Rachel Kolisi has proven that she has a heart made of gold as friends and family from all walks of life took to their Instagram stories to express their appreciation for having her in their lives.
The mother of two recently celebrated her 35th Birthday, during which time she reflected on what it means to celebrate the gift of life and special moments.
Taking to her Instagram, she shared a picture of herself lighting the candles of her birthday cake while her adoptive daughter Liphelo assumes the photographer role.
Captioning the post, she wrote: “This is 35! I was surrounded by love and joy yesterday and I’m so grateful! Thank you for every message, call and random hugs in the street.”
She confessed that she initially did not want to make a fuss about the special day this year and thought she would do something big next year. However, her thoughts on this have changed.
“There’s so much to celebrate,” she wrote.
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With all the birthday messages flooding in, it was the one sent by Siya’s younger brother Liyema, which appeared to be the most special.
Taking to his Instagram story, the teenager shared a gallery of pictures showcasing his relationship with Rachel from the day they met along with important milestones like his first and final day of high school.
He wrote: “Words cannot express how grateful I am to have you as a mother figure in my life. I love you so much, may God bless you many more years and to many more memories.”
In response, she wrote: “I love you Liyema (followed by a crying and red heart emoji).”
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Rachel and Siya adopted his half-siblings Liphelo and Liyema in 2014 after finding them in foster care, in Siya’s hometown of Zwide. To date, she continues to play an important role in their lives.
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Also see: Rachel Kolisi reflects on 10 years since adopting Siya’s siblings | Bona Magazine