Dying Annalise Holland finds Australian first for mourners

Facing her own death at 25, Annaliese Holland has established an Australian first for cemetery mourners.

When Annaliese Holland lost her best friend, Lily Thai, to a terminal illness two years ago, the silence was suffocating. Yet, in her grief, she found solace at Lily’s gravesite.

Visiting the cemetery became a ritual: talking to Lily, writing letters, and simply sitting in her space.

“Cemeteries shouldn’t be seen as solemn, scary places,” Annaliese told news.com.au this week. “They should be tranquil places where you can reflect and reminisce about people who have passed on.”

For Annaliese, these visits were “emotionally cathartic”, especially as she faces her own incurable terminal illness and the knowledge that she won’t live the future she once dreamt of.

Now, with only months left to live herself, 25-year-old Annaliese has created a way for others to feel closer to loved ones they’ve lost, even when they can no longer see their smile or hear their laugh.

Annaliese Holland is behind a special new letterbox at Centennial Park, a cemetery in Adelaide. Called Echoes of Love, it’s writing letters for those who have departed. Picture: Supplied

Terminally ill Annaliese Holland, who suffers from auto-immune autonomic ganglionopathy, has been approved for voluntary assisted dying. In the time she has left on earth she wants to help remove the stigma about death. Pictures: Supplied

The idea sparked during a regular trip to Centennial Park to visit Lily. “As I knelt to place flowers on Lily’s grave, a note sailed past me,” Annaliese explained. “I looked around to return it, then noticed many other letters lying on the grass. This made me think there must be another way to share personal messages with lost loved ones, somewhere safe from being lost to the wind.”

Annaliese researched and found a story from the UK about a girl who set up a letterbox after losing her grandparents. Inspired, she approached Centennial Park management to propose a similar initiative for mourners in Australia.

Annaliese Holland with her dear friend Lily Thai before the 23-year-old died. Picture: Supplied

Lily Thai who died in 2023 using voluntary assisted dying. Picture: Funeral live stream

This led to the creation of “Echoes of Love” – a letterbox in the Adelaide cemetery where visitors can post personal messages to their departed loved ones.

Centennial Park CEO, Nadia Andjelkovic, confirmed the letterbox is open and accessible to all visitors. “Grieving the death of a loved one is a deeply personal journey that is different for everyone,” she said. “There is no limit to how often you can use the letterbox, and all letters will remain completely confidential. Your message is just for you and your loved one.”

Annaliese, diagnosed with terminal auto-immune autonomic ganglionopathy (AAG) at 18, now lives with multi-organ failure. She is thrilled the letterbox is open for Christmas, a particularly difficult time for those in mourning.

Lily Thai and Annaliese formed a strong bond.

Annaliese posts a letter to Lily in the Echoes of Love letterbox. Picture: Supplied

She hopes her letterbox will encourage conversations about death and grief. Having been approved for Voluntary Assisted Dying herself, the topic is profoundly real for her. Despite her debilitating condition and unimaginable pain, Annaliese wants to leave a lasting impact through her advocacy and fundraising.

“Living with a terminal illness has helped me confront the realities of death and made me recognise the need to break the stigma, creating better avenues for young people to talk about death and grief,” she stated.

“I hope that by sharing a message in the Echoes of Love letterbox, this will give others the same comfort and peace it gives me.”

Originally published as Dying Annalise Holland finds Australian first for mourners