‘I’m bringing the Alps to you’: Artist in Philippines paints on late mum’s coffin as final goodbye

Artist paints Swiss Alps on mother’s casket

Proving that love doesn’t end after someone dies, an artist in Baguio City, Philippines, painted the Swiss Alps on her mother’s coffin to honour her lifelong dream.

A Facebook post on 5 March shows the young woman painstakingly painting the mountain scenery on her mother’s casket during her wake.

“If I couldn’t take you to the Alps, Ma, I’m bringing the Alps to you,” 28-year-old Andrea Lourice Rafael captioned her post.

She added: “As I paint your final resting place, I know you’re finally running free—just happy. I will always make you proud, Ma.”

Mother used to tell her stories about girl living in Swiss Alps

Ms Rafael told GURU Press Cordillera that, growing up, her mother, Anna Soliman, used to tell her stories about Heidi, an old TV show based on an 1880s novel about a girl living in the Swiss Alps.

“My mother was fond of mountains, trees, and a simple life,” Ms Rafael shared.

“That’s why I promised her that we will someday go to the Alps in Switzerland once she recovers,” she explained.

Mother suffered from various cancers

Ms Soliman, a seamstress, was initially diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2019.

However, she was diagnosed with three more types of cancer in 2025: Stage 4 lung cancer, Stage 3B kidney cancer, and brain cancer with a large tumour.

Additionally, doctors found another tumour in her liver.

After a long battle with her illnesses, Ms Soliman succumbed to her ailments on 3 March, ABS-CBN reported.

Daughter dedicates talent to late mother

Ms Rafael shared with GMA News that she began painting at the age of seven, a talent she inherited from her late mother.

“My mum was artistic. I learned everything from her, like sewing and drawing. There were times when my mum would draw landscapes when she felt very sad,” she said.