As a South African, and one who can remember what Apartheid was like as a child, not fully comprehending or understanding but always having this feeling that things were somehow 'wrong', being angry at some of the things I saw but not knowing it wasn't normal. And then becoming a teen and aware of the world and how different our society was, being in high school in 1990 and watching live on television as Mandela was released from prison, feeling the excitement and knowing change was coming. Voting in the referendum and seeing him elected as our first black president in 1994, watching him pull this country together, remembering 1995 and the rugby world cup, when this country was, for the first time, truly one united family, I loved Mandela for his unyielding message of tolerance and forgiveness and his genuine leadership. Whatever he may or may not have signed off or been aware of in the years of the Apartheid struggle, during his time of leadership in South Africa he was an international icon of peace and reformation and we will never see his like again. He became old, and frail, as do we all eventually, but all of us secretly wished he would live forever. Rest in peace Madiba. You have truly earned it. You live in our hearts and will be mourned as a family member. We love you and miss you. Today is a very sad day in this country and perhaps even the world.