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Writer's pictureMaria Vandenburg

Celebrating the Life of Rachel Phillips

Updated: Jul 6, 2023

We will all eventually pass away, we know that. It's envitable. But knowing that and having one of your best friends and surrogate big sister physically leave this planet are two completely different things.


Rachel Phillips - Celebrating the Sun
Rachel Phillips - Celebrating the Sun

I met Rachel in July 2015 when I started as a Project Manager at an Advertising Agency called Hacker Agency in Seattle.


We immediately bonded over our love of dancing (she was a professional Tango dancer with her former husband and one of my closest friends, Gregory - and I have always loved hip hop).


Our friendship deepened AFTER we both ended up leaving Hacker, but I also appreciated her kind and direct spirit.



Myself, Gregory, Rachel's Father and his partner, and Rachel
Myself, Gregory, Rachel's Father and his partner, and Rachel

I moved to London in August 2017 to get my Executive MBA at the University of Westminster. In 2020, the world went crazy and I ended up having a VERY ABRUPT exit where I landed back in Seattle in a 48 hour time period (you can read about that here).


Rachel and Gregory were kind of enough to allow me to become their house guest. I moved into their guest apartment and over the course of the summer my love and friendship for Rachel deepened. She really became like a sister to me.


I wanted to slow down and give you a sense of who she is:


Rachel has a deep love of the supernatural - very in tune with the "unseen world" and SUPER intuitive

She is one of the most loving people I have ever met on this planet. Granted, sometimes her love was a bit tough (as she is also one of the most direct people I have ever met) but it always came from such a beautiful space.

The scarab beetle was her spirit animal

✨She and Gregory were pretty famous in the local Seattle Tango Scene. You can see some of their performances here and they hosted some pretty epic parties at their gorgeous penthouse apartment


I had the opportunity to visit Rachel in person in Scottsdale just a few days before she passed. Even during the final moments, she still sought the vitality of life. She will forever and always inspire me and I am truly grateful to have had the opportunity to have her have such a deep in meaningful part of my life.


Interested in learning more about my personal journey?


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