FEATURE: “If I couldn't take you to the Alps, Ma, I’m bringing the Alps to you”: Baguio Artist paints mother’s coffin as tribute to her dream

Baguio City, Philippines – A Baguio City–based artist fulfilled her late mother’s dream in the most personal way she knew—through art—as her beloved mother was laid to rest on March 3, 2026.

Unable to bring her mother to the Alps in Switzerland as she had once promised, Andrea Lourice Rafael painted a scenic mountain landscape on her mother’s coffin. The artwork became a heartfelt tribute to the place her mother had long dreamed of visiting, reflecting her love for mountains, trees, and a quiet, simple life.

“If I couldn't take you to the Alps, Ma, I’m bringing the Alps to you. As I paint your final resting place, I know you’re finally running free—just happy. I will always make you proud, Ma,” Andrea wrote in a social media post.

In an interview with GURU Press Cordillera, Andrea recounted that her mother, Anna Soliman, used to tell her stories about Heidi—a novel about the life of a five-year-old girl in the Swiss Alps, written by Johanna Spyri and published between 1880 and 1881. Inspired by these stories, Andrea said she once promised her mother that she would succeed as an artist like Heart Evangelista so they could travel together one day.

Unfortunately, that promise remained unfulfilled until Anna’s final days.

“Bata pa lang ako, hilig na ikwento ni mama sa akin yung story ng Heidi na pinapalabas sa TV dati. Mahilig kasi ang mama ko sa bundok, puno, at simpleng buhay. Kaya pinangako ko na balang araw pupunta kami doon sa Alps in Switzerland kapag gumaling na siya,” she said.

To recall, Anna was initially diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2019. In 2025, she was diagnosed with three more types of cancer: Stage 4 lung cancer, Stage 3B kidney cancer, and brain cancer with a large tumor, along with another tumor found in her liver.

After a long battle with her illnesses, Anna eventually succumbed to the disease. Andrea then chose to honor her mother’s lifelong dream through the one thing she knew best—painting. The coffin became her canvas, where she carefully painted a mountain scene inspired by the Swiss Alps.

Despite everything, Andrea remains optimistic and believes that everything happens for a reason. She shared that her mother’s passing may have been God’s way of bringing her and her five siblings together again, something their mother had always wished for.

“…wish ng mama ko magkasama-sama kaming anim na magkakapatid… may mga anak na sila o pamilya na. Yun yung nilagay ko sa isip ko na kaya nagkasakit si mama para magkaisa kami magkakapatid,” she said.

Andrea also vowed to continue dedicating her talent and achievements to her mother, hoping to make her proud even from heaven. She encouraged others who are pursuing dreams for their families to keep fighting and never give up.

“Gusto ko pa ring i-dedicate sa kanya lahat ng meron ako at ang talent ko kahit nasa langit na siya. Gusto ko nag-iingay ang pangalan niya at sasabihin ‘Anak ni Anna yan’ kapag naging successful ako. At para sa katulad kong nangangarap para sa pamilya, laban lang at magpatuloy. God put that dream in your heart for a reason. As per God’s commandment, honor thy father and thy mother. Spend your time with them—mabilis lang ang panahon at oras.”