It is with deep regret that YWN reports the petirah of Mrs. Chaya Tolwinski (Chaya Rochel bas R’ Yeruchem a”h), a woman whose radiant simchas hachaim and unshakable emunah inspired thousands, despite a lifetime marked by profound physical challenges. She was 52 years old.

Mrs. Tolwinski was born with spina bifida, a serious congenital condition in which the spine and spinal cord do not develop properly. This often results in partial or complete paralysis and a host of lifelong medical complications. For Mrs. Tolwinski, it meant relying on a wheelchair from a young age and living much of her adult life in an assisted living home in Monsey. Yet, remarkably, those who knew her rarely saw the wheelchair—they saw a woman full of life, overflowing with joy, and deeply connected to Hakadosh Baruch Hu.

She was the daughter of Harav Yeruchem Pitter shlit”a, the mashgiach of the Mesivta of Long Beach, from whom she drew her strength and emunah. Through the guidance and example of her parents, she developed a foundation of Torah and bitachon that would sustain her through the most difficult of life’s tests.

In her lifetime, Mrs. Tolwinski endured the heartbreaking loss of not one, but two husbands. Even as a young almana, she did not wallow in sadness or despair. Instead, she built a life of meaning and mission, channeling her pain into purpose. Her love for her children, her connection to Yiddishkeit, and her trust in Hashem remained firm and unwavering.

Her remarkable story was captured in two bestselling books—“Yes, I Can!” and its sequel, “Yes, I Still Can!” These books, filled with honesty, courage, and humor, became a source of inspiration for thousands. Through their pages, readers were introduced to a woman who refused to be defined by her limitations and who found light even in the darkest moments.

Above all else, she was a devoted mother, and she is survived by her two beloved children, Yosef Chaim yb”l and Henny yb”l, who brought her endless nachas. She often expressed deep gratitude to Hashem for the bracha of raising children, a zechus she did not take for granted.

The levaya is tentatively scheduled to take place today at 1:30 PM at the chapel at Wellwood Cemetery, located at 1400 Wellwood Avenue, West Babylon, NY, with kevurah to follow. Shiva will be observed at 1530 Long Beach Avenue, Lakewood, NJ.

Baruch Dayan Ha’Emes.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)