“Life is short, make it sweet,” a quote on the walls of Wonderfood Museum on a recent trip to Penang Island, Malaysia, prodded me to share Alanna’s sweet 20 years of life.
Our beloved daughter, Alanna Faith Vincent, fondly nicknamed “Nana,” was born on April 21, 2003, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Tragically, Alanna recently passed away. She will be greatly missed, especially by her family. She and her big sister, Bella (who is 23 years old), were inseparable, their sisterly bond unbreakable. Raised in a Christian family, Alanna’s faith was the foundation and provided guidance in her life. At CSU, Alanna was proud to represent the Indigenous Peoples of Borneo, with the bloodline of Dayak and Melanau, she was unique and one of a kind.
Houston, Texas, was her home from 2003-2009 and in Doha, Qatar, from 2016-2020. These experiences identified her as a Third Culture Kid. She interacted with and took to heart different cultures and gifted with a broader world view and acceptance of others.
At home, Alanna adored her pet cat Fugee. She spent her free time reading, crafting, playing card games and solving puzzles. Durian, the king of fruits, was Alanna’s indulgence. Sushi, salmon sashimi and Malaysian hawker delicacies were her comfort food. Alanna enjoyed globe-trotting, having traveled to Thailand, Tbilisi, Georgia, down under to Australia, the Acropolis of Athens, and walking the paths of Syntagma Square, Greece. These were her favorite destinations. She had so many incredible personality traits including being a good listener, a wise problem-solver and providing sage advice to all in her path. Her spontaneity in cracking jokes made moments with her fun. Most of all, she was a kind-hearted and compassionate person. At school, she was hardworking, a high achiever and committed to giving her best in all endeavors.
Tenby International School in Shah Alam, Malaysia, was where Alanna spent most of her high school years and went on to further her education at the elite Doha College in Doha, Qatar, where she completed the British AS level education. In fall of 2020, Alanna became a freshman at Colorado State University. She chose to pursue a degree in Geography and was selected into the President‘s Leadership Program. Recently she became the recipient of the Capstone Award for the Department of Anthropology and Geography. She was deeply passionate about tribal rights and sustainability, and upon graduation, was planning to apply her skills and talent to her passion.
We will forever remember her, cherishing all the beautiful memories made together in her 20 years of sweet life.
