Diona
There are so many memories with our Tatay. I’ll try my best to list all the things he did, the qualities he had, that made him simply, “Tatay”. -Tatay is well known for his routine. Wake up early, sleep early, but get things done. He always made sure that his day was fulfilled. Whether it’s cleaning the yard, taking out the trash, going for a walk to buy groceries, etc. He always kept busy. He cannot stand still. And that’s definitely one of the things I admire so much of him. He had a PURPOSE EVERY DAY. -He was famous for giving everyone a ride. We never had to worry how we would get anywhere because Tatay would be there to drop us off and pick us up without fail. They were more than just car rides, they were special memories made with Tatay. We were so blessed and lucky to have him. I remember him picking us up from elementary school and after he would have us pick out any candy or ice cream from the gas station. That always made us happy. He never hesitated to be there for us. That’s one of the main reasons why we love him so much. -Tatay has his signature style. Dark button up shirt, khakis, black belt, leather jacket, and a comb always in his shirt pocket. His famous comb. As he grew older, he had less hair. That never stopped him from using his comb. I remember he would let me and the other cousins comb his hair and style it any way we wanted. It made us all laugh. He would use forks for ice cream, made the best Top Ramen soup, he used to shine his shoes, sweep the yard, trim the plants, and have his beer and smoke. Aside from the years of smoking and drinking, he lived a full 89 years without worrying about his physical ability for the most part. -Driving was his favorite thing to do. But when he wasn’t physically able to drive anymore, that still didn’t stop him from being active and getting to where he needed to be, so he walked. Tatay walked everywhere; to each family’s house, to the grocery store, and gas station. Like I said before, he could not stand still. His mind was always busy, always had something to do. Despite his impairments, he never let any pain phase him. Even though he was in pain, he never showed it. He continued on with his routine and made sure he got things done.. I miss coming home from work and seeing him wait for me in driveway, with him knowing that I will take him home. -Tatay is most well known for buying scratchers and Lotto. His face would light up if he won any type of cash and say, “oh, lucky, lucky. Very good!” Unfortunately, he never won the Super Lotto, but he was extremely rich in another sense. He was rich with the love from his family being there with him, even ’til the very end. -Though he didn’t talk much, he had a great sense of humor. Almost everyday he would said “It’s my birthday” and hold out his hand for money. And he would say his famous line “NO MONEY, NO HONEY”. Any smile from Tatay made others smile. His humor was contagious. -Tatay will always be remembered and admired for his STRENGTH and hard work. He is our definition of superman. 89 years strong. We can only hope to have strength like him and the drive to have a purpose each day. We love you so much Tatay. Thank you for everything. You are truly a blessing. You are missed today and everyday.