T WAS the first time she'd seen her daughter in three years but she couldn't hug her or even hold her hand - a glass partition separated them and a prison guard watched their every move.
Yet as heartbreaking as it was, Lynn Blignaut drew some comfort from the fact her daughter, Ashley, looked healthy and seemed in good spirits despite the circumstances.
Ashley (23) made international headlines when she was found guilty of possessing drugs with the intent to distribute them in Thailand on 18 August 2021 and sentenced to life in prison.
The young woman maintains she didn't know what was in the package, which she says she received on a friend's behalf in October 2020. It had contained 250g MDMA, also known as ecstasy.
In August this year, Ashley's sentence was reduced by the appeal court to 33 years and four months - but for her and her mom, it's still a lifetime.
Lynn, who lives in George in the Western Cape, is battling to come to terms with the fact that her daughter is in jail in a far-off country, so she flew to Thailand to see if there was anything she could do to free her child.
She's been seeing Ashley twice a week for 15 minutes in the Nakhon Si Thammarat Prison in southern Thailand. These precious visits take place in a room that's only 7m by 3m in dimension, and mom and daughter are on either side of a wall-to-wall glass partition.
"I honestly can't recall everything that happened when I first saw her, but it was very, very emotional for the both of us," Lynn tells YOU.
She and Ashley start each visit by praying together. Lynn says faith is the one thing that's kept her going since the nightmare started.
"When I visited Ashley on the Friday following the [reduced] sentencing, she was very down. But she later wrote me a note to say her mood had improved after we prayed."
This story is from the 15 September 2022 edition of YOU South Africa.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the 15 September 2022 edition of YOU South Africa.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
IT'S ALL ABOUT FAMILY
Lynn and Kairo Forbes invite us into their home as they prepare for their second Christmas without AKA
DENZEL'S DECADE OF SOBRIETY
Expensive wine was his weakness but these days the legendary Hollywood actor is all about clean living
WE DID IT FOR YOU, DAD
It was a dream come true for Jaden and Jordan Hendrikse when they ran out together for the Boks – but it was bittersweet too
HIP-HOPPING ALONG!
Moo Deng, the adorable pygmy hippo, is about to become an even bigger star thanks to a catchy new song released in her honour
IAM NO DIFFERENT
Despite being born without legs, Kanya Sesser truimphs at anything she sets her mind to
OUR WONDERFUL, WEIRD WORLD
Bizarre and beautiful spots exist off the well-worn tourist paths that criss-cross our precious planet
GOD'S INFLUENCER
After Carlo Acutis died at age 15, he was credited with performing miracles. Now the Italian is about to be canonised as the Catholic Church's first millennial saint. But what did the seemingly ordinary teenager do that was so special?
RUCK ON!
Rucking walking with a weighted rucksack - has gained popularity once again for its ability to improve your heart health, increase your strength and burn kilojoules fast
MY KIDNEY FOR MY SON
This Cape Town mom is determined to lose 50kg so she can give her boy the gift of life
A WHOLE NEW WORLD
She's been deaf since she.was a baby but now Chermelle ;s slowly startmg to hear thanks to a Cochlear Implant
