Psychologist and social educator, mother of four, caregiver for sick parents, sportsman, volunteer with homeless people: Sheila Pacífico de Moura had an energy that seemed inexhaustible — and she used much of it to help others.
He was, according to colleagues, the “soul” of the humanized service center for immigrants at the Guarulhos airport, where he worked for 12 years, since the beginning of the service. There, he cared for foreigners held in the restricted zone, victims of human trafficking and refugees who arrived in Brazil in vulnerable situations, fighting for them to receive dignified treatment.
“Often outside his working hours, he did more than was possible to contact their families, interview people and guarantee reception, food and care in desperate scenarios”, describes a note in his honor released by the Federal Public Defender’s Office. , one of the many institutions that the psychologist activated to guarantee the rights of immigrants.
A sample of Sheila’s passion for her work could be followed by this reporter, during an investigation into Afghan families who slept on the airport benches.
“While she was sweet as hell, when she saw an injustice she bought the fight”, says her brother Calixto de Moura. “She didn’t stop. She was a supermom, studied French, ran, distributed food to the homeless. She embraced everything.”
Born in Lorena (in the interior of São Paulo), Sheila adopted her first daughter, Maria Paula, with whom she fell in love when visiting a shelter. Then she became pregnant with Ana Tereza, Sophia and João.
Even after being removed from service at the airport — in an episode that was taking her sleep — the psychologist remained dedicated to the cause of immigrants and was creating a collective with her friend Márcia Nascimento.
“He was the best human being in the world”, says Márcia. “The other’s pain was Sheila’s pain. As long as she didn’t solve a case, she didn’t hang up. And she had the loudest laugh in the world.”
When they arranged to meet, Marcia stopped the car at a convent to wait for her. “She was always late, but she arrived laughing, talking.” On August 5th, the friend did not show up. Sheila suffered a stroke and died three days later, aged 49.
Marcia says she can’t believe it. “I feel like I’m still in that convent, under the tree, waiting for Sheila to arrive.”
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