LAST Thursday, my wife Consuelo Sol and I together with our granddaughters Rain and Summer, and our grandson Gabriel in a very modest way celebrated the 56th birthday of our late daughter, Nonie, who died on May 8, 2004. Like her elder sister Ling May, she also fought the Big C, in vain. Her remains were also cremated according to her wish.
Last Saturday, on our request, Rev. Fr. Joey Padayao, a very good friend of the family offered a holy mass in Benin, Pinsao Proper barangay, for Ling May. The special religious event was attended by our family and close relatives.
After the Holy Eucharist, we proceeded to the Baguio cemetery and entombed the urn containing the ashes of our dearest daughter who died in Las Vegas, Nevada, US last March 21. She was 62 years old. Following her last will and testament, and her body was cremated on May 2 and was brought home on May 17.
City Councilor Benny Bumogao was with us on behalf of the Igorots of the Rose Cultural Troupe. Truly, the agony and loneliness of waiting was painful on our part. Now we are more relaxed and happy that we were able to fulfill with tender loving care her last request. She is now in the glory of the Lord!
At this point in time, we would like to thank all the friends, admirers, former classmates of Ling May from Saint Louis Girls High School led by her teacher, Ambit Leal and civic leader Marian de Castro and from the Padilla and the Bermudez families who attended the Holy Mass held at the Shrine of the Brown Madonna on May 27.
About 18 batchmates of Ling May joined us at the Shine. Rev. Fr. Alejandro, the spiritual adviser of the Shrine and the National Correspondents Club of Baguio (NCCB) dedicated the mass to the memory of our dearly departed daughter, Ling May.
Many thanks to Wilfredo and Brenda Layson and family for the beautiful bouquet of flowers that they gave as an offering during the event. The Leysons are from Urdaneta City, and are active members of the project committee of the Shrine.
We are deeply grateful for all the efforts of Ling May's friends and relatives in the United States for their kind concern towards our daughter. One way or the other, the outpouring of condolences and sympathy we recieved from our relatives and friends, including my former troopmates of 507 American Scouters, Tom Floreck, Dave Shea and their families helped ease our agony and suffering.
It was Tom who helped me join the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) while Dave was my godfather, as a lifetime member of the Order of the Arrow, which is a BSA honor society.
Two holy masses were held in the United States in honor fo Ling May:
The first one was held at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church in Las Vegas, led by Ling May's sons Miggy and Luigi, together with his wife Angelica, manang Lolit Mandapat and her younger brother Luis.
The second mass was held at the Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church at Apperson Street, Tijunga, California. On both occasions, a good number of former Ling May's classmates from SLU and the Baguio General Hospital School of Nursing were present.
From the botton of my heart, I would like to thank you all for the kindness and sympathy you have extended to our bereaved family. May the Almighty God bless us all, wherever we are and whatever we are doing.
I would also like to thank the Mandapats for their kindness and genorisity.
Happy Philippine Independence Day to one and all!
