Rene or Sangks (for Sangko) was not only my brother but my best friend. We are the closest of the siblings because we were only a year apart. My fondest high school memory of him was when he took himself to UST clinic and asked that his extra finger be taken off (he had a sixth finger on his right hand hanging next to his thumb) because it bothered him whenever he wears his cesta to play jai alai. He used to practice the game at the court in the back of our high schoool building. I vividly remember the clinic calling our parents who hurriedly went to clinic to be with him and him coming home with his bandaged finger. (My parents refused to have him take it off because it was their belief that it brought him good luck and fortune.) He went on to become a professional pelotari and was very good at it. I remember going to the Sky Room after my college classes at St. Scholastica's to watch him play. I do my homework in between games and go home after his last game. Our family supported him throughout his career.
This love of jai alai made him become a little disinterested with school. Because I was accelerated from 2nd to 3rd grade in the middle of the year, I caught up with him and we were in the same class until we graduated highschool. I am pretty sure the teachers have figured out that we almost always had similar scores because I used to take my exams fast so I can copy the questions on a piece of paper that I throw out of the classroom window that Rene will pick up discreetly. I am pretty sure I was responsbile for him graduating from high school.
He was the joker of the family. He loved to dance. He used to be my dance partner during parties because I was not allowed to date or go out with friends in my younger days :( He was very strict with me. He didn't want me to be friends with any of the boys. My father wouldn't allow me to attend any outside school events either. So if you'll notice on the photos from our high school days floating around, you won't see me on any of them because I wasn't there :(
But Rene loved his family so much. He was very, very generous to me, my parents, siblings and to all the extended family. He bought me my first car when I was in college. He had our Mom quit her job at the Post Office so she can stay home and play mahjong with her amigas. He shared his blessings to several people. I only have fond memories of my loving brother and my best friend, Rene. I miss him terribly. He left me at such a young age but you know what -- he was ready to receive the Lord. He may have had a premonition because for several months before he died in the tragic accident, he would be going to church everday and rekindling his relationship with the Lord. He left three young children back then but they're now all grown to be successful women and two are married with children :) I love my Sangks with all my heart and I so miss him everyday.
Joy Villavicencio (Roque)
Rene or Sangks (for Sangko) was not only my brother but my best friend. We are the closest of the siblings because we were only a year apart. My fondest high school memory of him was when he took himself to UST clinic and asked that his extra finger be taken off (he had a sixth finger on his right hand hanging next to his thumb) because it bothered him whenever he wears his cesta to play jai alai. He used to practice the game at the court in the back of our high schoool building. I vividly remember the clinic calling our parents who hurriedly went to clinic to be with him and him coming home with his bandaged finger. (My parents refused to have him take it off because it was their belief that it brought him good luck and fortune.) He went on to become a professional pelotari and was very good at it. I remember going to the Sky Room after my college classes at St. Scholastica's to watch him play. I do my homework in between games and go home after his last game. Our family supported him throughout his career.
This love of jai alai made him become a little disinterested with school. Because I was accelerated from 2nd to 3rd grade in the middle of the year, I caught up with him and we were in the same class until we graduated highschool. I am pretty sure the teachers have figured out that we almost always had similar scores because I used to take my exams fast so I can copy the questions on a piece of paper that I throw out of the classroom window that Rene will pick up discreetly. I am pretty sure I was responsbile for him graduating from high school.
He was the joker of the family. He loved to dance. He used to be my dance partner during parties because I was not allowed to date or go out with friends in my younger days :( He was very strict with me. He didn't want me to be friends with any of the boys. My father wouldn't allow me to attend any outside school events either. So if you'll notice on the photos from our high school days floating around, you won't see me on any of them because I wasn't there :(
But Rene loved his family so much. He was very, very generous to me, my parents, siblings and to all the extended family. He bought me my first car when I was in college. He had our Mom quit her job at the Post Office so she can stay home and play mahjong with her amigas. He shared his blessings to several people. I only have fond memories of my loving brother and my best friend, Rene. I miss him terribly. He left me at such a young age but you know what -- he was ready to receive the Lord. He may have had a premonition because for several months before he died in the tragic accident, he would be going to church everday and rekindling his relationship with the Lord. He left three young children back then but they're now all grown to be successful women and two are married with children :) I love my Sangks with all my heart and I so miss him everyday.