Hi. My name is Debbie. I am wife to Michael and mother to three beautiful children. Our two boys are Bryce (14) and Thabo (8). Our daughter Gemma (Forever 13), watches over us from her special place in heaven. This website is dedicated to Gemma who bravely fought a rare illness called Congenital Hyperinsulinism. She gained her angel wings on the 14th of March 2021. From the moment she was born, family and friends from all over the world supported us as a family and, as a give back, I tried to keep everyone updated through blog posts and stories which can be read under the tab "Gemma's Story." When Gemma was five years old, I thought her story was over. I thought then that I had a book to share with the world. My mom gave me this very laptop I am typing on now as a gift for my 30th birthday - I am now 41 - for that specific purpose , to record Gemma's story. Little did I know that her story was far from over. Through the process of the various bits of writing , I discovered that writing became a means of therapy, and so shortly after Gemma's passing, without seeking any other form of therapy, I rewrote her story from the very beginning. The dream of keeping her legacy alive, battling through the trauma with perseverance and grit, and most importantly with Michael's unwavering support and selfless assistance - we did it.
In Loving Memory of our GEMMA LYNNE DEUTSCHMANN 08/09/2007 TO 14/03/2021 You taught us the meaning of life.