It is with great sadness and heavy heart that we, staff and students at the Help Liberia Foundation Community School in Buchanan, have come to both announce and mourn the death of one of our sponsors named Tauno Silander. He died at the age of 56 on February 8.
Tauno Silander
As you may recall, during the fundraising campaign for the annex construction, it was Tauno who purchased the fifteen (15) bags of cement needed for the construction. He was planning to render additional assistance to Liberia through Help Liberia Foundation Community School when his demise occurred. We are heartbroken. He was a real humanitarian.
He was originally from Finland, but he lived in Norway, where he also died. According to information, his heart stopped beating.
Tauno spent his childhood in Liberia where his parents lived and worked when he was a Kid. He lived in Buchanan for about 11 years – in the 1960s and 1970s. Most of those who knew Tauno Know that he loved Liberia besides being a compassionate person.
Tauno Silander
Lena Thorne-Marner: “Life is so short. This guy was a true Liberian; he spoke typical Liberian English just like a native. He had a heart full of love and kindness, and Liberia was always in his heart.”
It should be known, too, that Tauno’s humanitarian work was not limited to Liberia. He also supported other projects, including building or supporting schools/homes for amputees and orphans in Sierra Leone.
We remain profoundly grateful to him for his assistance to the children in our school, especially his contribution toward the construction of the school annex, but we are equally dispirited that he did not live to see the structure for which he so happily and generously donated. We will miss him.
May Tauno’s soul rest in perfect peace, as he goes home to rest with others that have gone before him.
Rest in real peace, Tauno Silander! You were a wonderful human being. We will miss you!
