Thursday, June 10, 2010
EXACTLY 24 years ago on June 13 my eldest brother, Antonio Roberto, popularly known as "Bobby" drowned in White Island, a tourist destination spot in the tiny paradise island of Camiguin. He was with a group of new-found "Jaycees" friends from Ozamis city on a leisure trip to that tiny island for some fun.
He left us a day short of his 33rd birthday. He was named after St. Anthony or San Antonio by my parents. Just like all of us, we do have a second name named after a saint since the parish priest in Binondo, Manila would not baptize us unless we have a "catholic" name. That was how it was before.
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Why am I writing about my brother after all these years? I really don't know, but I know for sure something or somewhere inside my head has been telling and giving me signs. We moved to Nazareth a year ago, and our patron saint is St. Anthony.
Our very close and friendly priest, Monsignor Tex Legitimas, is also assigned there. Monsignor Tex was our parish priest in Mambajao many, many years ago. He knows our family well. He was there when we lost my brother. A few days ago, I got the chance to "chat" online with three of my brother's "special" friends.
One is now based in Northern Luzon, one in Manila & one in Cebu. All of them became a part of Bobby's romantic life at different times, of course. I was surprised myself why all of a sudden all them got in touch with me or vice versa. Isn't that telling me something? I think those are all tell tale signs maybe Bobby wanted us or me to remember him in writing? I don't now for sure.
After three girls in a row, Bobby was the eldest boy in the family. He was the apple of my parent's eyes, especially my dad. He was a bouncing baby boy. So cute, charming and adorable. Mom kept a lot of our baby photos (talk about a photo library!) and even until now, a lot of other photos! Guess that is also where I got the trait of enjoying the "picture-picture" everywhere I go! Good thing, it is now in digital form or else a cabinet won't fit all the pictures and albums!
Bobby finished his Mechanical Engineering course at Adamson University in Manila. He then went to Mambajao to help my parents in our business. It was hard a first since he was really a "Manila boy", but after several new found friends and the relaxed and fresh atmosphere, Bobby stayed in Mambajao for good.
Being the eldest among the boys, he was an authority because we have a 4-year gap. My younger brother was 2 years younger then me. We both looked up on him like a father figure, especially when we were still in Manila studying since our parent have transferred to Mambajao. As en elder brother, he would take care of us. Although there were always petty quarrels, it was always resolved before going to be. He was very good at math and physics and he would be my "tutor".
He took care of the business and enjoyed what he was doing, waking up early in the morning to open the store and spent most of the day taking care of business. He became active in various religious & socio-civic organizations in Mambajao, in fact he was being groomed to be a mayor since he got the political inclination like my dad, who became a municipal councilor for several terms. He was invited and was asked to "crown" so many local beauty queens in the island. He attended several social functions which drew him more closer and dearer to the people. He was definitely a people person.
The times I vividly remember were when during the months of April and May, me and my younger brother would go home to Mambajao from Manila for our summer vacation. And it was during those summers that all 3 of us would attend fiestas and "bayles" left and right since it was always fiesta time during the summer months. We would always be introduced as the "Dychauco Brothers." The travel along the dimly lit or dark roads going from Mambajao to the barangays or sitios were always fun because we would be listening to our favorite music in the car stereo. And sometimes, when the moon is out, it made the drive really dreamy and at times, eerie! But we would dance the night away with the ladies and have a lot of fun. But it was usually the "disco" numbers that we will outshine the others! Well, Manila boys are different they say!
Being the President of Jaycees, Camiguin Chapter, he had guests from Ozamis City and they decided to "tie" their brotherhood with the signing at the White Island which everyone agreed to. They left early in the morning and everything was going smoothly until we got a frantic call from the radio just before lunch time that Bobby was missing in the open sea. Bobby was a pretty good swimmer. We used to go to YMCA in Manila for our swimming lesson, so we were not worried at first.
Later on, we were horrified to hear that he was swept away by the current and it took them almost 30 minutes to find him. He was already floating. His friends tried to revive him all the way to the hospital but to no avail. His lifeless body was already bloated. It was a sad day for all of us, for all the people of Camiguin. We lost my brother to the sea.
I was in here in Cagayan de Oro City when the tragedy happened. I clearly remember I was on my way to my sister's house in Nazareth to attend the fiesta celebration. But instead of heading to my sister's house, we started calling each other to verify the heartbreaking news. And indeed, it was a very depressing day for all of us.
It's been 24 years since that misfortune. But as the saying goes, life has to move on. And yes, we did but it was really tough for all of us. I was supposed to leave for the US but my working visa did not arrive until after my brother died. Was it by chance? Or was it God's plan? At any rate, I finally left for New York two months later. But it was dreadful for me because I keep on remembering the accident, especially at night. It took me almost 2 years to finally let go. I just kept telling myself Bobby is alive and is in Mambajao. Call it denial or something, but it helped me cope.
Bobby would have been 56 this year. If he did not leave us, he would have been married and there would have been many more nephews and nieces in the family and by this time, they should be all grown up and married themselves perhaps. Ah, wishful thinking! But I guess he wasn't lucky. Or should I say, the other way around?
At any rate, I am pretty sure he is happy where he is now. Up there with Him. Although it was painful for all of us, it was also a blessing for all of us for having him touch our lives, having him in our family and in our community. God gave him to us and that is what matters. All we have now are the beautiful and lasting memories he left.
Wherever you are now Bob, please do watch over us. We love you very much and miss you terribly. We miss your laughter! Thank you for all the good times we've shared together. It was fun while it lasted. I am sure you have a big smile in your face now. We do still remember you after all these years.
Email: potsnpans1976@yahoo.com website: www.potsnpans1976.weebly.com
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cagayan-de-oro/antonio-roberto-bobby-sia-dychauco-my-brother
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