In order to avoid the usual Nov. 1 throng of people who go to Loyola, the family decided to go there today. It was a good decision since the drive to Marikina was virtually traffic free, and while there were still a lot of people at the memorial park, it wasn't anywhere near the melee that usually happens on the 1st.
On our way there, Dad mentioned that Tito Tony reminded him that Lolo Iking's death anniversary is coming up soon. On November 11, it'll be 19 years since Lolo died. Next year, it'll be the 20th anniversary of Lolo and Lola's death. They passed on 5 months apart, and we think that it was Lolo's loneliness after Lola Dita's death that caused him to follow her so soon.
It seems just like yesterday when Lolo passed on, so I was quite surprised to realize that it's been almost 20 years. It seems just like yesterday when our parents woke us up at around 2 a.m. to tell us the bad news. It seems just like yesterday when my siblings, cousins and I sat outside the house in Tomas Morato at 5 a.m., still in disbelief.
Because it seems just like yesterday, I still get teary eyed each time we visit Lolo's grave. Lolo was the quintessential patriarch and was such a strong, influential figure in our family. He was such a huge, huge part of our lives and I think that explains why he left such a huge void.
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