Hayet

Bi-montly, RFH students visit The Chelsea Senior Living in Shrewsbury, New Jersey, to engage residents in games and activities, as well as educate them on using technology. To every student, the most rewarding part of these visits is learning about the unique and fascinating lives of the residents, and hearing their stories and experiences that span decades.

RFH Students in Hayet’s apartment

Hayet instantly became a favorite of the students after we helped her text her daughter in Lebanon for the first time in months. She told us about her career as a model and fashion designer, even inspiring a student, Ashley Carc, to pursue art in college. Her life story is full of captivating experiences; her childhood was spent with her parents and brothers, but she followed her passion of fashion and ended up in Paris. After living in several other European countries and having an exceptionally successful career, she moved to Las Vegas, then later to Australia where she married and raised a family. Her name, Hayet (meaning “life” in Arabic), was given to her by her father who always wanted a daughter. She was the first daughter after many sons, and therefore became the center of her father’s world. Hayet gave us a tour of her apartment(shown in photo above), where she showed us pictures of her in her youth and of her family. Each photo— showing Hayet in different countries and stages of life— was an evident reminder of how unpredictable and extraordinary life can be.