Yesterday afternoon my daughter was calling me, “Mom, did dad call you?”
Me—-“No.”
Oyen—-“Didn’t he call you? Sad news…”
When I get a call like that, sobra akong ninenerbyos. Ano kayang bad news?
She left the house very early yesterday morning for the monthly meeting with Ford Philippines attended by all the dealer principals. The chairman of the Laus Group of Companies, Levy, died in a helicopter crash on his way back to San Fernando, Pampanga, after attending the Ford meeting. Levy is Pampanga-based and he usually brings his chopper when attending meetings in Manila.
According to Oyen, she greeted him that morning, nag beso-beso daw sila with some little chat. Levy had always been nice to my daughter, showing his support and encouragement. Oyen was so shocked and sad. Levy was just there an hour ago, then he was gone in a flash. She didn’t want to believe at first that he was dead, my daughter was hoping he survived. But the news reports said Levy died together with his bodyguard and the pilot.
(photo from UNTV report/PRO3)
Oyen said when Levy was walking to the door, she looked at him thinking “shall I say goodbye?” She watched him daw till he was out of the door. Oyen was thinking maybe had she called him to say goodbye, there would be a few minutes delay in his departure from the meeting place, and that could have changed his luck. But Edmund said no, it wouldn’t because it was his time, his fate ended yesterday.
Very sad.
Our deepest condolences to Lizette and the whole Laus family and employees.
What happened to Levy was a reminder that our lives could be gone in a second. It could be taken away from us just like that, no prior notice, and it’s not within our control.
When we read newspapers or watch news about people dying, we feel sad but the feeling is different when a person you’ve personally met, or is close to you dies. Parang it’s beyond our comprehension. Death is really beyond our human understanding. The 21-year old son of Edmund’s doctor committed suicide for an unknown reason. His golf friend had a heart attack last week, sa tingin daw nya masama ang loob sa St. Luke’s Hospital.
I visited an old friend the other day. “Old” literally and figuratively. We’ve been friends for over twenty years. And he is 80 years old. He and his wife are blessed with the gift of life. At 80 he is generally healthy. Syempre he has health issues, eh ako nga meron ding health issues. He still goes to his office and stays there the whole day.
I told him to go out and hang-out with his former elementary, high school, college classmates. Eh mga patay na daw. Ha ha ha. He recently went out daw with three of his former officemates. Eh namatay daw yung isa after a week or so. Ngayon tatlo na lang sila.
I hope he lives for a dozen more years, healthy, nakikitawa pa sa mga tsismisan. I also hope Edmund and I live till 80 and beyond, na nakikitawa pa sa mga tsismisan.
Sana lahat tayo masaya, walang sakit, at ligtas kahit sa anong sakuna. God bless us all.
