At some point "she couldn't get out of bed": Two girls (15, 14) lost both their parents

Two girls from Hilgertshausen, 14 and 15 years old, now only have each other.

Her father died ten years ago, and her mother in the fall.

Hilgertshausen

– Marina (15) and Gabriela (14, name changed) are sitting snuggled together on the couch.

They hold each other's hands.

You only have yourself.

Her mother passed away on October 15, 2022, after a year-long battle with cancer.

Her father died ten years ago, also of cancer.

Now her grandmother Maria Negru lives in the house.

Friends and neighbors help the sisters and grandma in their pain.

And the whole place helps so that the children can stay in their house and have a carefree future, at least financially.

Because nothing else that is important can be given back to the sisters.

The parents came to Germany from Romania in 2002

In 2002, Cipriana and Constantin Birleanu came to Germany from their native Romania as a young couple.

He worked as a programmer and earned well, she was a bank clerk.

At first they lived in Petershausen, their two daughters Marina and Gabriela were born.

They bought the house in Hilgertshausen, "it was in dire need of renovation," says Ciprian Burlacioiu, a close friend of the family.

He sits opposite the two girls, tells their story in a calm voice, finds words for the unbelievable suffering that has befallen them.

Half a year after the Birleanu family moved into the house, father Constantin suddenly died.

He was still in the hospital for a short time, but couldn't be helped anymore: cancer, recognized too late.

Marina and Gabriela were three and four years old at the time.

Mother Cipriana stayed behind with the two girls.

She worked, continued to renovate the house, took care of the children.

"About a year and a half after her husband's death, she was diagnosed with breast cancer," says Ciprian Burlacioiu.

A hard struggle began, lasting seven to eight years.

"Nevertheless, we saw her very cheerful and fun-loving, she was motivated to continue living with her family."

Cipriana has had countless chemotherapy regimens

Cipriana had countless chemotherapy regimens, did everything the doctors recommended.

"There were moments of joy and confidence, she was fine, but there were also times when she was not well," recalls Ciprian Burlacioiu.

In all these years, the single mother worked, even before Corona a lot in the home office, she was employed at a bank.

Little by little she paid off the house.

She was supported in everyday matters by a large circle of friends, "but she never complained," says Ciprian Burlacioiu.

After a pause, he adds: "Even though she knew what to expect.

She hoped it would arrive as late as possible.”

"I remember it was during the last summer holidays, when she couldn't get out of bed on her own."

Gradually she got worse.

"For the first few years we didn't realize that Mama was ill," says Marina, the older of the two sisters, in a low voice.

"She was strong and always there for us." But then the children also noticed the illness.

"I remember it was during the last summer holidays, when she couldn't get out of bed on her own."

At that point it was already clear that Cipriana had to die.

"Six months before death we knew for sure that Mama would leave us," says Marina.

Her eyes fill with tears, she lays her head on her sister's shoulder.

"We always wanted to spend every minute that we have left together with her.

I always went to her room right after school and told her everything.” Marina and Gabriela hold on tight in their pain and cry.

And they rub Grandma Maria's back.

All three look at the picture of Cipriana on the white piano, surrounded by photos of the children, Cipriana and Constantin.

The grandmother from Romania now takes care of the girls

Cipriana's mother, Maria Negru, came to Hilgertshausen in the spring of 2022, leaving her husband in Romania, in her hometown in the Iasi district, near the Moldova border.

“She actually only came temporarily to take care of her daughter.

And now she has taken on the huge task of staying with the girls," explains Ciprian Burlacioiu.

Cipriana Birleanu spent the last ten days of her life in the palliative care ward.

Her life ended there, on October 15, 2022, at the age of 48.

The sympathy at the funeral was huge, reports Ciprian Burlacioiu.

"It was impressive how many people from the village were there - and nice to see that you're not alone, that you can count on the help of people." Marina also says that friends and "people we don't like knew us well, supported us".

After that, the sisters were taken ice skating or making candles, and people keep asking if they need help.

"I didn't really understand at first that Mom died," says Marina.

But over the past few weeks, “I've found that just doing something with my friends is normal again.

But there are always setbacks and memories that throw you off track.” The 15-year-old hasn't thought about the future yet.

"I think I wish everything would be more structured again."

Gabriela has started writing a little book

Marina has a bit of distraction in her robotic workshop.

"I've been there since last school year, I enjoy it, I like programming." At first she didn't want to go to the AG because she wanted to take care of her mom - "but the teachers talked me into it, I'm happy about that now" .

Gabriela likes to read.

"I started writing a little book, about love and fear, like a journal." And she adds, "If you write, that helps too."

"The house is paid off, that was one of the mother's last acts of strength," says Burlacioiu.

He and his wife Maria were good friends with the girls' mother.

They also come from Romania and have been living in Jetzendorf with their five children for many years.

Ciprian Burlacioiu works as a private lecturer at the theological faculty of the Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich.

He is also parish priest in Schrobenhausen.

Faith has strongly connected him to Cipriana Birleanu.

"Despite all the uncertainty about how things will continue, the only certainty for her was that God would take care of her and her two daughters."

Close friends have taken over the guardianship

During her lifetime, Cipriana Birleanu made provisions for what would happen to her children after her death.

"She asked us to take care of her daughters." Ciprian and Maria Burlacioiu have taken over the guardianship.

They take care of “the organizational things, the bank account, signatures”.

And of course also “the emotional support, that is much more profound.

We're trying to catch the girls."

Another friend of the mother's takes care of all school matters, as Marina reports.

This friend maintains contact with the school, the Indersdorfer Gymnasium, where both girls go to, attends parents' evenings, but she is also available to answer questions about homework and comes to their house in the afternoon if the girls want it.

Girls need financial support

The mother's great fear was that the children would not be able to stay in their parents' house in Hilgertshausen, that the youth welfare office would take them into their care, reports Burlacioiu.

Marina and Gabriela are currently living off child benefit and a pension from their deceased father.

Of course, they also need money to be able to keep the house – and mother Cipriana was only able to provide for part of it.

Now there are costs for the sewer connection, and the heating has to be renewed - regardless of the plans of the federal government - which Mother Cipriana has already initiated.

The village community helps: Three women from Hilgertshausen collect donations (see below).

The chain of helping hands, the donation campaign of the Dachauer Nachrichten, is also supported in order to be able to cover running costs.

"Death does not have the last word." Ciprian Burlacioiu is convinced of that.

He crosses himself before lighting a new candle at the tomb of Constantine and Cipriana Birleanu.

The two girls don't want to go to the cemetery, to their parents' grave.

The death of her parents becomes even more tangible at this point.

Ciprian Burlacioiu tries to convey to the girls in their pain: "that they have not lost their mother and father completely, that they are always with them - even if it is not as visible as one would wish".

Hopefully Marina and Gabriela can one day find solace in this thought.

It goes with the saying written on a white stone at the grave: "Forever you will be in our hearts."

Charity breakfast in the sports center of the TSV

Three women from Hilgertshausen are organizing a benefit breakfast on Saturday, April 23, in the TSV Hilgertshausen sports hall.

There are white sausages, spreads, cakes, also to take away.

It starts at 11am.

The proceeds benefit the two sisters - so that they can stay in their parents' house in Hilgertshausen.

The organizers hope that this will at least cover the running costs.

There are also donation boxes on site.

You can read more news from the Dachau region here.

Our Dachau newsletter informs you regularly about all the important stories from your region.

Sign up here.