Aitofi Telesia Pouvi Taimalelagi died of lung cancer last Thursday.
Her son, Matt Brown, founded the anti-domestic violence movement because of the suffering he had witnessed his mother experience at home.
In a statement to social media, Brown paid tribute to his “first protector, a survivor, a warrior and a Queen”.
“She had a generous spirit and a good sense of humour. Her life was one of heartache and struggle, yet she gave birth to nine children and worked hard to give us the very best she could with what she had,” he wrote.
“The anti-violence movement She Is Not Your Rehab is founded on her story, her sorrow, her survival and the way I witnessed her for many, many years become a rehabilitation centre for the man she loved, all because she wanted us kids to have a family like she had grown up with.”
She Is Not Your Rehab has been in the spotlight in recent weeks after a video posted by the group went viral.
In the video, Brown’s son Angelou issued a plea to Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson to wear a She Is Not Your Rehab t-shirt to support the movement.
Angelou said that his Nana “had a sad life when they were growing up with lots of fights at home”, which was why his father had been inspired to found She Is Not Your Rehab.
Johnson responded to the video on social media, telling Angelou he was “very proud”.
“You don’t understand yet, because you’re too young but just know how courageous and inspiring you are to myself and our aiga (family), but now – to the world,” he said.
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