Rachel Van Dyken

Rachel Van Dyken Instagram – We are never prepared to write things like this, it doesn’t matter where you are in life, you will never be ready when someone passes.
It is with insurmountable grief that I now share, Jill Sava (my assistant, friend, family)  has recently passed and gone into Gods waiting arms. As most of you know, for the last eleven years she’s struggled with Gastroparesis. One of the reasons I truly believe she fought so hard was not only for her family and friends but for the book community and her true love for the written word.
Before she got sick she worked hard within the Jewish community in LA and always had the craziest stories to tell, it was a natural transition into the book community as she always said she was too “bossy” to just sit and let this disease take her. She loved stories, she loved books, and she loved this community. She started Chronic Book Warriors on Facebook for other people suffering through chronic illnesses and offered up support whenever she was able.
She fought hard.
And now, it’s time as friends and family to tell her it’s okay to go.
She was tired. She was in pain.
And it’s okay to finally rest.
Jill, you did so well. I’m so proud of you and what you accomplished despite the odds being against you. You’ll always be terrifying to me in the way that you took on life without as much as blinking when faced with opposition. You’re an inspiration to us all and I’m so honored to call you family and a friend.
I will be personally addressing her social media accounts. If you would like to honor her family and Jill herself, please just send your prayers and good thoughts. It has been less than 24 hours and everyone is still in deep grief.
Shiva will begin this Saturday (the process of 7 days of mourning).
As family and friends leave shiva, they may offer these words of comfort to the mourners, hamakom yinachem et-chem b’toch sh’ar avelei tzion v’yerushalayim (may you be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem).
Go in peace my dear fierce, terrifying friend. I love that in your last moments to your family you said…”Tell me a story.”
And your family was able to hold your hand and do just that. | Posted on 05/Feb/2025 22:59:08