Jinnah Ali met his wife Lillian nearly six decades ago.
He was out for a drive on Old Year’s Night, which in his homeland of Guyana is the local term for New Year's Eve. It’s a significant and vibrant occasion in Guyanese culture, marked by a mix of religious, social, and festive traditions, and after he dropped his mother off at home, he continued to take in the evening celebrations as he slowly drove along. That’s when he noticed a young lady walking and he offered her a ride. She was on her way to evening mass and she accepted his kind offer.
“I dropped her off and said, ‘I’ll be here to pick you back up,’ and you know, things developed from there,” Jinnah recalls with a smile.
She moved with her family to Barbados, yet they stayed in touch, and after Jinnah moved to Canada in 1969, she followed in 1970 and they were married at Toronto’s City Hall before settling in Mississauga.
They’ve been at each other’s side ever since and remain so today, though they now make their home in different parts of The Village of Erin Meadows in Mississauga – Lillian in long-term care and Jinnah in Retirement.
Jinnah is a light among residents within both long-term care and the retirement neighbourhoods. His kindness and positive spirit shine through instantly when he engages in conversation, and the connections he’s made among team members throughout the Village are genuine.
Every evening, he’s sure to make his way down Main Street to be with his Lillian for dinner.
Health challenges brought them to Erin Meadows, but Jinnah says he’s grateful they are still together.
Lillian first came to the Village in the fall of 2020 through the Bridges to Care program, which helps people who are recovering from illness or injury transition from hospital back home through Erin Meadows. After moving back to their condo for a short time, a place in the Village’s Long-Term Care Neighbourhoods opened up and she’s been there ever since.
Jinnah, too, experienced his own health challenges and through the same Bridges to Care program found himself at The Village in early 2023 and that summer, he chose to make the Village his home.
He emphasizes the importance of building connections within the community—especially for newcomers who may be accustomed to living alone.
One significant way he has helped build connection is through his efforts to promote cultural awareness and inclusion. After moving in, he noticed that while the community hosted various cultural celebrations, Islamic traditions—particularly Ramadan and Eid—were underrepresented. Motivated by a desire to share his heritage, he partnered with leadership team members Anabelle, Sami, Chi and Pricely to organize an Eid celebration.
With decorations, traditional food, and education, they introduce others to the significance of the holiday and brought the community together. Eid has since become a recurring celebration in the Village, and this is but one example of Jinnah’s generous spirit brought to light.
It also emerges when he speaks of Lillian.
“I still thank God, Allah – I thank Allah that I'm still alive, she's alive and we can see each other every day,” Jinnah says. “I look back at the years, she was there for me; when I had knee surgery, when I had an open-heart operation, she was there attending for me. You know, time evolves and now I look after her.”
He’s grateful he can do so with a whole community of support in the Village they call home, and he’s also grateful for his sons, Richard and Stanley and his niece, Margaret, who have always bene incredibly supportive.
