Phadre Fitton of Johannesburg, South Africa, left her husband specific instructions to water the plants she kept in their bathroom, before succumbing to ovarian cancer in 2014, according to a tweet from the couple’s daughter Antonia Nicol.
Nigel Fitton diligently carried out the task for years, keeping the plants lush and green. According to CTV News, in 2016 Nicol was helping her father move his belongings, which included his beloved potted plants, from his home to a nursing home.
In subsequent tweets, Nicol had described her mother as “very funny” and “an absolute legend” with a “cheeky sense of humour.”
“It would have tickled her so much to know that he’s actually done it,” she said.Nigel had been “overcome with grief” after losing Phedre, whom he first met when they were both just 16 years old. Watering the plants “gave him something to do,” Nicol said. Her father “thought the toilet had a leak due to the puddles on the floor.”
Both father and daughter seem glad to be able to share Phedre’s wit with the world.