Happy birthday in heaven, Brepins!

Sinulog afternoon, January 18.

We were walking to meet our son’s friend here in Tsukuba, Japan, when my cellphone rang. It was our nephew Bonggoy, Brenda’s son, my eldest/only surviving sibling.

Bonggoy’s phone call was timely as I had planned to call/greet Brenda for her 82nd birthday, January 21.

However, my world swirled when Bonggoy calmly told me, “Tita, you may want to say goodbye to Mommy!”

“Huh? Why, what happened?” I asked, now in tears as I saw her in a hospital bed.

Vaguely, I heard Bonggoy’s voice - “sepsis/heart failure/bp critically low.”

“Mommy, si Tita Cherry, kausapin mo,” Bonggoy repeatedly/gently asked Brenda to reply to me.

I told Bonggoy, “it is ok, I am sure she can still hear us.”

I could only muster/remember telling – “Brepins, God loves you very much. Do not be afraid. He forgives us our sins and welcomes us because He loves us. Don’t worry about your children, we will take care of them.”

I cannot remember if I prayed, “dear God, please take care and welcome Brenda with Your eternal love and peace.” I had wanted to but forgot to pray the Divine Mercy prayer for, with her.

Everything went so quickly, unexpectedly.

Did I see both pain/disbelief in Brenda’s face that last time? Not the look of physical pain but more of the pain of sudden separation, the look of disbelief that she was leaving her children and this earthly life for good?

Monday, January 19, about 11 A.M., Bonggoy shared “she is with Jesus.”

Bubbles, Brenda’s eldest daughter confirmed, “Tita, Mommy is gone.”

From Bonggoy: “She witnessed my first breath; I witnessed her last. A soul so beautiful, so strong. She taught us courage, perseverance, and love beyond measure. Because of her, we lived wonderful lives. From Bubbles, Bambi, and me—we love you forever, Mom. Thank you for everything.”

From Bubbles; “My mom passed on Monday, two days shy of her 82nd birthday. My mom is singularly responsible where my siblings and I have landed in life, she was always our champion.

“Nothing came easy for my mom but she showed us where grit and determination can take you.

“Once a government employee who sat at a reception desk and answered phones, then found ways to write press releases for a city official, then eventually came into her own and became a reporter for one of the largest newspapers in Manila.

“This last part is where she got her groove, reporting on local issues, to eventually expanding her beat to include Malacañang Palace, where some assignments gave her the opportunity to travel around the world.

“At home as my siblings and I started our own families, she was the happiest human being as the Mamamia to her 7 grandchildren. I saw this to be her crowning glory as a mom and grandma.

“I learned to cook because of her. But I can never replicate her adobo much to the deep disappointment of my children. When her hearing started to weaken, long distance phone conversations with the kids were hilariously comical when the hellos, counter hellos never seem to end.

“She LOVED the Yankees and LOATHED them at the same time especially when they get beaten by that team in Boston.

“She looked forward to every holiday when we would all gather around the table, the house filled with family.

“This past June, we were able to take the kids home to see her in Manila, their first trip to the country. Looking back now that was an incredible trip.

“I can't believe I am talking about her in the past tense.

“Mom, I am profoundly grateful to you for everything. You will be sorely missed, it will take a long time to recover from this loss.

“Love ya forever, mom.”