My year ended tragically, with the death of my most dearly beloved Godmother, Mireille Vince,

6 June 2004
After she learnt from a newspaper article in the London Daily Mail of my three and a half year long struggle to free Marah, Mireille poured herself a cup of tea, considered for a full 25 minutes, then picked up the phone to me in South Africa, with a simple clear message: "I'm ready to sponsor Marah. And I'm serious."
A rare individual with a profound love of Africa dating back to childhood, Mireille listened to her heart - her lioness-heart - and acted instinctively, with pure lion courage.
Then she went ahead with no further ado, and put up the funds for Marah's freedom. However, to her surprise she learnt that the future of Marah's three cubs were also at stake. This time, she didn't pause to consider and drink tea. Together, she and I determined that we would stop at nothing until all 12 paws padded proudly after their mother into their brave new world. There were no compromises, we couldn't possibly live with a Sophie's choice of having to leave one precious cub behind in a prison cell. These were Queen Marah's lineage, and they deserved nothing less than the freedom that was their birthright.

Just as Maria Khosa once showed me the power of lion-hearted love and courage in rescuing me from possible death, so Mireille in her own way is a mentor with a great nobility of spirit. She teaches lessons of unconditional love and unconditional giving - giving through love, without expecting any return. In this way, and so many ways, she is a true Guardian of the White Lions, and all that they represent on earth. Truly a matriach sent from God - my beloved godmother Mireille embodies all the qualities of a true dominant matriachal lioness - courage, truth, and unfailing instinct to stand up against injustice, whether it be perpetrated against humans or animals.

There are no words to thank her truly for what she has done - there are only roars, ROARS, and MORE ROARS!!!!

Mireille, Linda and Jason together with Marah after she and her