"Mel, my dear son, the cruel and venomous fangs of death have torn to pieces and abruptly snatched your blooming life. Parting is such a great sorrow that it divides the bones from the marrow, that it physically separates you from us, your loved ones. But one thing is sure, my son, death can never extinguish our love for you, as yours to us, to the point that our enduring love for each other could say triumphantly, “O, Death, where is your sting? Where is your victory?” Thus, we your loved ones could also say, Death can never obliterate, never end our undying love, affection and memories of you that transcend even beyond the grave.
There’s a limit to everything, my son, so we’ve to bid so long, farewell, goodbye, adieu to you. We’re helpless to do anything to eradicate these painful heartaches and sorrows, which could only be assuaged with the balm of God’s love and the hope that, God willing, we’ll all be together again in the great and bright tomorrow. May God hasten that day to come.
By the way, your daughter Jamie requested me to play once more for you, your favorite love song, “No Other Love,” which you are now dedicating to your loved ones and also to your superiors and friends who are all here with us sympathizing, condoling and grieving for you.
Mel, my beloved son, we all love you. May our everlasting heavenly Father and our Good Shepherd, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, watch over you and grant you Rest in Peace.
***** Your loving and grieving....Papa, Mama & siblings
RIP
Wilmer Pulido Fabroa
January 5, 1961 - October 12, 2010
SMHS Class of '78
Wilmer, thank you for your brief but rewarding company..although we got to know you more briefly up close and personal only during the preparations for the reunion, we treasure the moments we were with you doing our bit for the reunion (you especially for the sake of your manong fred fabroa, our president in the St Mary’s Alumni Association of Toronto), doing the odds and ends and piecing the nuts and bolts together; we must say you struck us as an amiable, unassuming gentleman; a good story teller; and that you made us in awe of you of your demonstrable qualities and that ultimately you had created a good impression of you in us;
Wilmer, thank you for showing us the true meaning of hard work; you did your utmost best to provide for the family; to Marifel, Jamie and Jennifer ; and we give you credit for that; you wanted more opportunities to advance but you unfortunately thought this was not within your reach (which in the first place you deserve and were due you), but deep in our hearts we knew you did it for the family; remember you told us that your limit both you and Marifel in the casino was $25 because you were sending your daughter, Jennifer, to college;
Wilmer, thank you for showing to us all, your brothers and sisters, included, the art of caring, although by saying this we don’t mean to lessen you sibling’s capacity to love and care; we’ve been told you were very solicitous of the welfare of your parents tata pedring and nana puring, shown to them not only on your last day on earth, as when you invited them to dinner at Thanksgiving Day, cooking their favourite dish ”sinigang na bangos”; then insisted that they not walk from your home to theirs (about 500 meters) but rather for you to bring them home in your car considering their advanced ages and the dark of night; in sum, we were reliably told you were very consistent in showing them your love at every turn and opportunity;
Wilmer, thank you for not being so proud about your five stars which you carried like a halo: we will say these in Ilocano and translate into English, “Nadalimanic (well-mannered), na-imma (pleasant or applying to a lady, mahinhin), nataer(handsome) natalna(calm and collected) and naragsac (jolly).
Wilmer, thank you for helping us understand, now that the dust has settled the “why and the wherefore” of the unfolding of events. Or their meaning... how like a thunderbolt that struck us....the shock waves dismantling and sending ripples to the “nothing new as usual” state of the city, unnerving the equanimity and heightening the incredulity of relatives and friends, the SMU alumni and Nueva Vizcaya Associations, the Filipino community as to the happenings of the last week.
Wilmer thank you for giving us a reason for reinforcing our philosophy in life.. that “man proposes, God disposes” and it is not for us to question God’s wisdom but to accept in humble submission what is put to our face.. surely we didn’t expect we were in for the shock of our lives—a rude awakening.. a person with poise and personality who from all appearances was a peaceful person, no turmoil evident on the surface but yet “still waters ran deep”...who will ever think that one who has a good job, a good family would ever do the unthinkable? But such is the stuff that predestination is made of;
Wilmer thank you for impliedly telling us that when problems arise there are opportunities to unwind that were sorely missed; that there are other means to cope with them, such as prayers and reaching out to others..it was your message that whoever is frail enough could become as strong as steel if he only could find support with God, with family and friends; you pointed to us by your dying that there were missed opportunities and that this should serve as a lesson to those who are similarly situated that these anchors or salva vidas should be immediately availed of lest they are lost if not used; there are lifelines out there if we could only spread our eyes and hands;
Wilmer, we do not see you as frailty personified. We see you as the harbinger of God’s message to us. we do not know the pain you have gone through with all the difficult circumstances you have to endure like returning to a job you disliked so much (which was apparently the trigger) that of a cleaner which you formerly had held..one would become irrational in the circumstances if having gone through the hoops in one’s job and you become promoted and leave the menial job behind. And unceremoniously be back to it ...but verily there is the need for shock absorbers in your life..like properly inflated tires to hit the pavement rolling.. hard vs. hard; fire vs. fire..then you could have struck a balance..Yes, the occurrence of yesterday are today’s lessons..thank you for that. May you rest in peace ading. Dios ti Kumuyog.
Manong Del and Lettie Europa
Advisers, SMU Alumni Association of Toronto
On October 12, 2010, our youngest and fifth son, Wilmer, has reached the end of his rope and the point of no return in his young and productive life. He was barely 50 years old – 3 months shy of his birthday on January 5, 2011. Through the passage of time up to the prime of his life, he had founded a family – his loving wife Maryfil and their two lovely daughters Jamie Elaine and Jennifer – to whom he focused all his efforts and time to make them happy. To us, his parents, and his brothers and sisters, he was always obedient, respectful, and helpful. He loved all his brothers and sisters, and everybody in his whole family circle, including his friends and he was respectful and obedient to his superiors on both sides of his life’s spectrum. Since he was born, Mel was like a bright morning star, a sparkling meteor that briefly flashed across our sky from the eastern to the western hemispheres and he left in his wake nothing but love, joy, compassion, camaraderie and helpfulness to all of us and to the people who encircled his own sphere of influence. When Mel was young, he already developed a very strong and dignified personality, that most, if not all, of his contemporaries respected and followed him wherever he led them, which were all directed to their common good.
He was a disciplined son and a very loving and respectful brother. He adhered to all our advices and those which his brothers and sisters imparted to him, which he explicitly obeyed without any hesitation or complaint. He was simple and conservative in his lifestyle and he even disliked the “kateponero” shirt and long hair style of his brother Terry. He also confronted his sisters about the way they sometimes dressed up, which was the vogue and fashion at that time – with short and sleeveless blouses and “mini” skirts, but they just giggled away from him, leaving him with much chagrin and bewilderment.
Often during his youthful and formative years, Mel and his brothers with their friends spent their leisure time and weekends playing basketball in our backyard and in the school campus, where he was always the guard as he had a formidable and well-built body, very strong like an ox.
He always invited his friends to eat with him the tasty food he cooked as he was then a budding culinary dietician. They all joked, laughed and boasted about their courting abilities or inabilities until they all fell asleep in our little “bahay kubo” beside our house. They were all boisterous, like all normal boys were wont to do in our community, but they were never unruly, rebellious or mischievous because they were disciplined very young in their lives.
I could still vividly remember that one day our three sons, Terry, Wilson and Mel, went to the movie where they watched Bruce Lee do his “make-believe” antics and stunts in cinematography. They all came home very excited and when they were near the house, Mel came ahead, hid himself behind the door and when Terry came through the door, Mel landed a telling karate blow at his neck and a fast kick at his behind, sending his unwary and surprised brother sprawling to the floor.
I immediately confronted Mel and he meekly replied: “I was just trying what I saw Bruce Lee do and I’m very sorry, papa.” However, his apology did not save him from a smart spanking at his behind, which he deserved and I did out of my love for him. From that time on he maintained proper conduct and discipline, which we taught to all his siblings before him, following the wise teaching of Jesus Christ, who said, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” (Prov. 22:6). All our children never departed from the teachings and discipline we imparted to them.
In his school years, he always obeyed rules and regulations, which led him to develop the sterling qualities of a leader. He was a Corps Commander in Pre-Military Training (PMT) course because of his commanding personality and stentorian voice. Likewise, he acted as Moses in their high school drama, where he literally broke the stone tablets of the Ten Commandments. We made those tablets with very weak mixture of sand and cement so they easily broke. He likewise played the role of Samson in their stage play “Samson and Delilah”, where he also literally collapsed two big pillars between his strong outstretched hands. He helped me make the two “huge” columns with sticks and cardboard boxes.
In late 1979 when we first came to Toronto, Wilson and Mel became bellboys or busboys in hotels in downtown Toronto, until Wilson was employed as the assistant of their brother Fred, who was then the supervisor in the Print Shop in the Progressive Conservative Caucus of Ontario of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario at Queen’s Park. Mel later became a major appliances technician in Goodwill Services also in downtown Toronto. He met a pretty girl who hailed from Ibajay, Aklan, and like his mama and me, he and Maryfil fell in love at first sight. In one of our family get-together parties, he introduced Maryfil to us as his fiancee’. At once we liked her, as we surmised she’ll make a good, loving and compatible wife for Mel. He made a wise decision which we all backed up and on June 1, 1985 they got married. Out of their blissful and happy marriage, they produced their two lovely daughters, Jamie and Jennifer.
After several years working in the Goodwill Services, he was attacked by severe, debilitating disease of osteoarthritis which caused the replacement of his right hip joint. He was given daily anti-rejection IV injections, anti-depressant pills and other kinds of drug pain reliever medicines, which were all very expensive and not covered by OHIP, but were given to him free under experimentation condition.
In retrospect now, I think those drugs caused the disruption of the equilibrium of his mind. And when his brain malfunctioned, kaleidoscopic problems confused his muddled mind. He made mountains out of molehills of insignificant problems. He was always thinking negatively, which in the last analysis made him out of the right frame of his mind. That was the general state of his health and mind set, which he tried to control by physical exercise, balanced diet, weight loss, and more daily anti-rejection IV drugs and other medications. He tried his best to focus and do his job so meticulously, even to the point of perfection. Near-perfection was not enough for him. He had to do his job right and well-done always.
He camouflaged his problems and anxieties and acted so natural, normal and happy most of the time, and whatever was his mental condition, to us it was unfathomable, because he expertly covered and disguised it. We thought everything was okey with him because he kept smiling and laughing a lot. It was often said, “laughter is the best medicine” but in Mel’s case, I think it was not effective internally and he had a case of physical and mental overdose.In retrospect now, his wife narrated his extreme anxiety, depression and insecurity, when he was reshuffled to his former job as cleaner in the neighboring building where every kind of malefactors reside. He was made to push the garbage bin, which he was not supposed to do, because of the frailty and weakness of his recently replaced right hip joint. Once he was threatened by a drunken burly black guy, who nearly slipped in the hall which Mel was cleaning. He was scared and afraid for his life and sought for transfer.
He was transferred to another building, but not long after, he was returned to the former building he hated, with the admonitory warning to do it or quit. That gave him a lot of confusion and mental problems and he was confronted with a dilemma he could not solve. If he pursue the job assigned to him, he surely could not do it; if he quit he will be emasculated as the main breadwinner for his family and not be able to continue spending for his children’s university courses. He was in a limbo where he had no way to extricate himself out.
That made him scared and insecure and he kept his numerous problems inside himself, like a dormant but boiling volcano, which he suppressed and provided no outlet, ready to explode at any moment. Had he told us or shown any sign of his problems, we might have been able to provide a fuse to let out the very high emotional pressure in his troubled mind. But, unfortunately, he chose to keep silent and bore the whole burden by himself. When he could no longer withstand, contain, and endure his pent-up emotions, that finally culminated to his untimely and early demise.
My dear son Mel, the cruel and venomous fangs of death have torn to pieces and abruptly snatched your blooming life. Parting is such a great sorrow that it divides the bones from the marrow; that it physically separates you from us, your loved ones. But one thing is sure, my dear son, death can never extinguish our love for you, as yours for us, to the point that our enduring love for each other could say triumphantly, “O, Death, where is your sting? Where is your victory?” Thus, we your loved ones could also say, Death can never obliterate, never end our undying love, affection and memories of you that transcend even beyond the grave.
There’s a limit to everything, my beloved son, so we’ve to bid so long, farewell, goodbye, adieu to you. We’re helpless to do anything to eradicate these painful heartaches and sorrow, which could only be assuaged with the balm of God’s love and the hope that, God willing, we’ll all be together again in the great and bright tomorrow. May God hasten that day to come.
We’ve no other alternative but to accept and submit to the will of God, the Almighty Creator of life, Who has absolute power and authority to take life away, as He did yours, my beloved son.
Mel, our dearly loved son, we have eaten rice and salt together as a family. We have shared the most elemental foods, suffered the same deprivation and hardships, and experienced the same joys and sorrows, that nothing can ever break that bond that ties us together, that not even death can separate us apart.
Mel, my dearly loved son, we all love and remember you always. May our everlasting heavenly Father and our Good Shepherd, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, watch over you and grant you Rest in Peace.
Your loving and grieving…..PaMaBroSis & your wife and two daughters.
Mel’s remains were cremated on October 18, 2010 at the Ogden Funeral Homes but his memories will linger forever in our minds and hearts – his loving wife and his two lovely daughters, and us, his parents and his brothers and sisters, six here in Toronto, his sister Cynthia in Bayombong and his brother Willie in Manila, his two sisters in California, Zennie and Brenda. Brenda and her husband Arnel came to pay their last respects to Mel and they’ll fly back to their home in Bellflower, California at 2:30 p.m. today. May God bless, protect and guide them all the way and may He grant them a safe and a very happy trip.
Thus, the “SAGA OF MY LIFE” ends here. The foregoing are the highlights of events that came across my life up to this time. Some were bad and others were good, but like weaving a beautiful tapestry or a fantastic oil painting, they are the bright colors that were intermingled in multicolored splendor by the best Artist and Designer in the whole universe, the Great Creator God.
However, the tapestry or painting is yet unfinished as my life is still going on and, God willing to grant me some more years to live, other highlights of the remainder of my long and happy life will be engraved as an Epitaph on my tombstone to remember me by.
I 'm sending a dove to heaven with a parcel on its wings.. but be careful when you open it, it's full of beautiful things. Inside are million kisses wrapped up in million hugs to say how much I miss you and to send you all my love. I hold you close within my heart and there you will remain to walk with me throughout my life until I see you again.
Wilfred P. Fabroa
From: Delano & Lettie Europa
To Wilmer
Wilmer, thank you for your brief but rewarding company..although we got to know you more briefly up close and personal only during the preparations for the reunion, we treasure the moments we were with you doing our bit for the reunion (you especially for the sake of your manong fred fabroa, our president in the St Mary’s Alumni Association of Toronto), doing the odds and ends and piecing the nuts and bolts together; we must say you struck us as an amiable, unassuming gentleman; a good story teller; and that you made us in awe of you of your demonstrable qualities and that ultimately you had created a good impression of you in us;
Wilmer, thank you for showing us the true meaning of hard work; you did your utmost best to provide for the family; to Marifel, Jamie and Jennifer ; and we give you credit for that; you wanted more opportunities to advance but you unfortunately thought this was not within your reach (which in the first place you deserve and were due you), but deep in our hearts we knew you did it for the family; remember you told us that your limit both you and Marifel in the casino was $25 because you were sending your daughter, Jennifer, to college;
Wilmer, thank you for showing to us all, your brothers and sisters, included, the art of caring, although by saying this we don’t mean to lessen you sibling’s capacity to love and care; we’ve been told you were very solicitous of the welfare of your parents tata pedring and nana puring, shown to them not only on your last day on earth, as when you invited them to dinner at Thanksgiving Day, cooking their favourite dish ”sinigang na bangos”; then insisted that they not walk from your home to theirs (about 500 meters) but rather for you to bring them home in your car considering their advanced ages and the dark of night; in sum, we were reliably told you were very consistent in showing them your love at every turn and opportunity;
Wilmer, thank you for not being so proud about your five stars which you carried like a halo: we will say these in Ilocano and translate into English, “Nadalimanic (well-mannered), na-imma (pleasant or applying to a lady, mahinhin), nataer(handsome) natalna(calm and collected) and naragsac (jolly).
Wilmer, thank you for helping us understand, now that the dust has settled the “why and the wherefore” of the unfolding of events. Or their meaning... how like a thunderbolt that struck us....the shock waves dismantling and sending ripples to the “nothing new as usual” state of the city, unnerving the equanimity and heightening the incredulity of relatives and friends, the SMU alumni and Nueva Vizcaya Associations, the Filipino community as to the happenings of the last week.
Wilmer thank you for giving us a reason for reinforcing our philosophy in life.. that “man proposes, God disposes” and it is not for us to question God’s wisdom but to accept in humble submission what is put to our face.. surely we didn’t expect we were in for the shock of our lives—a rude awakening.. a person with poise and personality who from all appearances was a peaceful person, no turmoil evident on the surface but yet “still waters ran deep”...who will ever think that one who has a good job, a good family would ever do the unthinkable? But such is the stuff that predestination is made of;
Wilmer thank you for impliedly telling us that when problems arise there are opportunities to unwind that were sorely missed; that there are other means to cope with them, such as prayers and reaching out to others..it was your message that whoever is frail enough could become as strong as steel if he only could find support with God, with family and friends; you pointed to us by your dying that there were missed opportunities and that this should serve as a lesson to those who are similarly situated that these anchors or salva vidas should be immediately availed of lest they are lost if not used; there are lifelines out there if we could only spread our eyes and hands;
Wilmer, we do not see you as frailty personified. We see you as the harbinger of God’s message to us. we do not know the pain you have gone through with all the difficult circumstances you have to endure like returning to a job you disliked so much (which was apparently the trigger) that of a cleaner which you formerly had held..one would become irrational in the circumstances if having gone through the hoops in one’s job and you become promoted and leave the menial job behind. And unceremoniously be back to it ...but verily there is the need for shock absorbers in your life..like properly inflated tires to hit the pavement rolling.. hard vs. hard; fire vs. fire..then you could have struck a balance..Yes, the occurrence of yesterday are today’s lessons..thank you for that. May you rest in peace ading. Dios ti Kumuyog.
Manong Del and Lettie Europa
Advisers, SMU Alumni Association of Toronto
Wilfred P. Fabroa
EULOGY
FOR WILMER FABROA
On October 12, 2010, our youngest and fifth son, Wilmer, has reached the end of his rope and the point of no return in his young and productive life. He was barely 50 years old – 3 months shy of his birthday on January 5, 2011. Through the passage of time up to the prime of his life, he had founded a family – his loving wife Maryfil and their two lovely daughters Jamie Elaine and Jennifer – to whom he focused all his efforts and time to make them happy. To us, his parents, and his brothers and sisters, he was always obedient, respectful, and helpful. He loved all his brothers and sisters, and everybody in his whole family circle, including his friends and he was respectful and obedient to his superiors on both sides of his life’s spectrum. Since he was born, Mel was like a bright morning star, a sparkling meteor that briefly flashed across our sky from the eastern to the western hemispheres and he left in his wake nothing but love, joy, compassion, camaraderie and helpfulness to all of us and to the people who encircled his own sphere of influence. When Mel was young, he already developed a very strong and dignified personality, that most, if not all, of his contemporaries respected and followed him wherever he led them, which were all directed to their common good.
He was a disciplined son and a very loving and respectful brother. He adhered to all our advices and those which his brothers and sisters imparted to him, which he explicitly obeyed without any hesitation or complaint. He was simple and conservative in his lifestyle and he even disliked the “kateponero” shirt and long hair style of his brother Terry. He also confronted his sisters about the way they sometimes dressed up, which was the vogue and fashion at that time – with short and sleeveless blouses and “mini” skirts, but they just giggled away from him, leaving him with much chagrin and bewilderment.Often during his youthful and formative years, Mel and his brothers with their friends spent their leisure time and weekends playing basketball in our backyard and in the school campus, where he was always the guard as he had a formidable and well-built body, very strong like an ox.
He always invited his friends to eat with him the tasty food he cooked as he was then a budding culinary dietician. They all joked, laughed and boasted about their courting abilities or inabilities until they all fell asleep in our little “bahay kubo” beside our house. They were all boisterous, like all normal boys were wont to do in our community, but they were never unruly, rebellious or mischievous because they were disciplined very young in their lives.
I could still vividly remember that one day our three sons, Terry, Wilson and Mel, went to the movie where they watched Bruce Lee do his “make-believe” antics and stunts in cinematography. They all came home very excited and when they were near the house, Mel came ahead, hid himself behind the door and when Terry came through the door, Mel landed a telling karate blow at his neck and a fast kick at his behind, sending his unwary and surprised brother sprawling to the floor.
I immediately confronted Mel and he meekly replied: “I was just trying what I saw Bruce Lee do and I’m very sorry, papa.” However, his apology did not save him from a smart spanking at his behind, which he deserved and I did out of my love for him. From that time on he maintained proper conduct and discipline, which we taught to all his siblings before him, following the wise teaching of Jesus Christ, who said, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” (Prov. 22:6). All our children never departed from the teachings and discipline we imparted to them.
In his school years, he always obeyed rules and regulations, which led him to develop the sterling qualities of a leader. He was a Corps Commander in Pre-Military Training (PMT) course because of his commanding personality and stentorian voice. Likewise, he acted as Moses in their high school drama, where he literally broke the stone tablets of the Ten Commandments. We made those tablets with very weak mixture of sand and cement so they easily broke. He likewise played the role of Samson in their stage play “Samson and Delilah”, where he also literally collapsed two big pillars between his strong outstretched hands. He helped me make the two “huge” columns with sticks and cardboard boxes.
In late 1979 when we first came to Toronto, Wilson and Mel became bellboys or busboys in hotels in downtown Toronto, until Wilson was employed as the assistant of their brother Fred, who was then the supervisor in the Print Shop in the Progressive Conservative Caucus of Ontario of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario at Queen’s Park. Mel later became a major appliances technician in Goodwill Services also in downtown Toronto. He met a pretty girl who hailed from Ibajay, Aklan, and like his mama and me, he and Maryfil fell in love at first sight. In one of our family get-together parties, he introduced Maryfil to us as his fiancee’. At once we liked her, as we surmised she’ll make a good, loving and compatible wife for Mel. He made a wise decision which we all backed up and on June 1, 1985 they got married. Out of their blissful and happy marriage, they produced their two lovely daughters, Jamie and Jennifer.
After several years working in the Goodwill Services, he was attacked by severe, debilitating disease of osteoarthritis which caused the replacement of his right hip joint. He was given daily anti-rejection IV injections, anti-depressant pills and other kinds of drug pain reliever medicines, which were all very expensive and not covered by OHIP, but were given to him free under experimentation condition.
In retrospect now, I think those drugs caused the disruption of the equilibrium of his mind. And when his brain malfunctioned, kaleidoscopic problems confused his muddled mind. He made mountains out of molehills of insignificant problems. He was always thinking negatively, which in the last analysis made him out of the right frame of his mind. That was the general state of his health and mind set, which he tried to control by physical exercise, balanced diet, weight loss, and more daily anti-rejection IV drugs and other medications. He tried his best to focus and do his job so meticulously, even to the point of perfection. Near-perfection was not enough for him. He had to do his job right and well-done always.
He camouflaged his problems and anxieties and acted so natural, normal and happy most of the time, and whatever was his mental condition, to us it was unfathomable, because he expertly covered and disguised it. We thought everything was okey with him because he kept smiling and laughing a lot. It was often said, “laughter is the best medicine” but in Mel’s case, I think it was not effective internally and he had a case of physical and mental overdose. In retrospect now, his wife narrated his extreme anxiety, depression and insecurity, when he was reshuffled to his former job as cleaner in the neighboring building where every kind of malefactors reside. He was made to push the garbage bin, which he was not supposed to do, because of the frailty and weakness of his recently replaced right hip joint. Once he was threatened by a drunken burly black guy, who nearly slipped in the hall which Mel was cleaning. He was scared and afraid for his life and sought for transfer.
He was transferred to another building, but not long after, he was returned to the former building he hated, with the admonitory warning to do it or quit. That gave him a lot of confusion and mental problems and he was confronted with a dilemma he could not solve. If he pursue the job assigned to him, he surely could not do it; if he quit he will be emasculated as the main breadwinner for his family and not be able to continue spending for his children’s university courses. He was in a limbo where he had no way to extricate himself out.
That made him scared and insecure and he kept his numerous problems inside himself, like a dormant but boiling volcano, which he suppressed and provided no outlet, ready to explode at any moment. Had he told us or shown any sign of his problems, we might have been able to provide a fuse to let out the very high emotional pressure in his troubled mind. But, unfortunately, he chose to keep silent and bore the whole burden by himself. When he could no longer withstand, contain, and endure his pent-up emotions, that finally culminated to his untimely and early demise.
My dear son Mel, the cruel and venomous fangs of death have torn to pieces and abruptly snatched your blooming life. Parting is such a great sorrow that it divides the bones from the marrow; that it physically separates you from us, your loved ones. But one thing is sure, my dear son, death can never extinguish our love for you, as yours for us, to the point that our enduring love for each other could say triumphantly, “O, Death, where is your sting? Where is your victory?” Thus, we your loved ones could also say, Death can never obliterate, never end our undying love, affection and memories of you that transcend even beyond the grave.
There’s a limit to everything, my beloved son, so we’ve to bid so long, farewell, goodbye, adieu to you. We’re helpless to do anything to eradicate these painful heartaches and sorrow, which could only be assuaged with the balm of God’s love and the hope that, God willing, we’ll all be together again in the great and bright tomorrow. May God hasten that day to come.
We’ve no other alternative but to accept and submit to the will of God, the Almighty Creator of life, Who has absolute power and authority to take life away, as He did yours, my beloved son.
Mel, our dearly loved son, we have eaten rice and salt together as a family. We have shared the most elemental foods, suffered the same deprivation and hardships, and experienced the same joys and sorrows, that nothing can ever break that bond that ties us together, that not even death can separate us apart.
Mel, my dearly loved son, we all love and remember you always. May our everlasting heavenly Father and our Good Shepherd, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, watch over you and grant you Rest in Peace.
Your loving and grieving…..PaMaBroSis & your wife and two daughters.
Mel’s remains were cremated on October 18, 2010 at the Ogden Funeral Homes but his memories will linger forever in our minds and hearts – his loving wife and his two lovely daughters, and us, his parents and his brothers and sisters, six here in Toronto, his sister Cynthia in Bayombong and his brother Willie in Manila, his two sisters in California, Zennie and Brenda. Brenda and her husband Arnel came to pay their last respects to Mel and they’ll fly back to their home in Bellflower, California at 2:30 p.m. today. May God bless, protect and guide them all the way and may He grant them a safe and a very happy trip.
Thus, the “SAGA OF MY LIFE” ends here. The foregoing are the highlights of events that came across my life up to this time. Some were bad and others were good, but like weaving a beautiful tapestry or a fantastic oil painting, they are the bright colors that were intermingled in multicolored splendor by the best Artist and Designer in the whole universe, the Great Creator God.
However, the tapestry or painting is yet unfinished as my life is still going on and, God willing to grant me some more years to live, other highlights of the remainder of my long and happy life will be engraved as an Epitaph on my tombstone to remember me by.
PEDRO ACOSTA FABROA
October 20, 2010 – Toronto
Zenaida Fabroa (Melo)
To my dearest brother wilmer:
I 'm sending a dove to heaven with a parcel on its wings.. but be careful when you open it, it's full of beautiful things. Inside are million kisses wrapped up in million hugs to say how much I miss you and to send you all my love. I hold you close within my heart and there you will remain to walk with me throughout my life until I see you again.
I love you very much.
Ate Zen