Year after death, her story lives on

Vikramdeep Johal

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 17

New York-based writer Amarpreet Kaur Dhami was working on a children’s book when she was diagnosed with colon cancer two years ago. After a gritty fight, she passed away in August 2017 at the age of 36. Her creation, ‘Ajooni the Kaurageous: Ajooni Stands Up to the Dragon’, was published posthumously last month, thanks to her family’s efforts. It’s about a brave Sikh girl, much like Amarpreet herself.

Her husband, Nitin Anand, says, “She came up with the story after our daughter, Ajooni, was born. It was a tale she would recite to her as an infant, to captivate her imagination. The real-life Ajooni, who will turn four this year, continues to love the story.”

Amarpreet was born in the US in 1981 to parents hailing from Hoshiarpur district. During her short but eventful life, she did a Bachelor’s degree in psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University and a Master’s degree in mental health counselling from Long Island University. She worked with victims of human trafficking and people afflicted with HIV/AIDS and mental illnesses, helping them live their lives with dignity and fortitude.

Her brother, Sartaj Singh Dhami, recalls that Amarpreet – fondly called Amy – used to discuss the book project with him. “She wrote the script and found an illustrator (Annie Wilkinson). She wanted to personify Guru Teg Bahadur for a universal audience. She has done it beautifully.”

According to her family, Amarpreet showed great strength and perseverance during her darkest hours. “Amy never once said ‘why me’. She never once cursed the Waheguru for her illness,” reads a statement on her website (www.amarpreetdhami.com).

Her steely resolve is summed up in ‘A Love Letter to the Hurting’, which she wrote months before her death: “Every challenging experience essentially holds power for you. Power comes from pain. Your pain is your teacher. Your pain has the power to become your gift.” Amarpreet lives on as Ajooni, confronting her demons and inspiring others to never say die.