Farewell to Andrew

Last Saturday, a low-key and well-loved businessman from Paniqui, Tarlac, was laid to rest at the Manila Memorial Park in Dasmarinas, Cavite, near the tomb of his younger brother.

Andrew Lee, 66, passed away a week ago in his Paco home. It was a Sunday morning and Lee woke up to a beautiful day. The night before, he joined his friends, including Manila Rep. Joey Hizon, for dinner at the Hyatt and was his usual happy self. There was no premonition that he would go the next day.

Andrew’s son Winston, 29, will never forget that morning. Winston’s one-year-old son Wakee walked for the first time and brought a huge smile on the doting grandfather’s face. After breakfast, Winston said goodbye to his father then went off to play basketball in a nearby gym, his Sunday ritual.

A few hours later, Winston received an urgent message to proceed to the Manila Doctors Hospital. Andrew had suffered a heart attack, his first, and was rushed to the hospital. Twice, doctors tried to revive him with shock treatment. But the Lord had already called him to heaven.

Andrew left behind two sons, Herbert and Winston, four grandchildren and a legacy of kind-heartedness that will be cherished forever by those whose lives he touched.

At his wake, prominent individuals came to pay their respects. San Miguel Corp. chairman Eduardo (Danding) Cojuangco visited with his brother Henry. Tarlac Gov. Jose (Aping) Yap, Camiguin Gov. Pedro Romualdo, Rep. J. J. Romualdo, Rep. Hizon, Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose (Peping) Cojuangco, Paniqui Mayor Pidiong Ibarra and Paniqui Vice Mayor Joy Lamorena were there, too.

One of Lee’s close friends was Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association (PATAFA) president Go Teng Kok with whom he often took lunch or merienda at their favorite Century Park coffee shop hangout. Go was among the first to go to Lee’s wake at the Funeraria Paz on Araneta Avenue.

Winston said he never realized his father knew so many important people. Andrew wasn’t the type to flaunt or exploit his "connections." He went about his business quietly, just as quietly as he gave so much of himself to help the poor and underprivileged.

Winston also said he never realized his father had helped so many people. During the wake, he was overwhelmed by the sympathy from common folk—waiters, waitresses and even singers who were beneficiaries of Andrew’s generosity.

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Long before Alex Pagulayan won the World Pool Championship in 2004, the Lion became one of Andrew’s "adopted sons."

Winston and Pagulayan met each other playing pool at the Barracuda hall, now closed, on Nakpil Street when the Lion was still a jewel in the rough. They became best friends and Pagulayan made the Lees’ residence in Paco his home away from home.

Whenever Pagulayan blew into town, Winston would pick him up in the airport and take him straight to the Lees’ compound. Pagulayan always had a room waiting for him in the house and a plate at the dining table.

No wonder Pagulayan wore a patch of Delpa Specialties, a paper dealership owned by the Lees, on his shirt when he won the world title. Nobody asked him to stitch the patch on his shirt. He did it on his own as a gesture of thanks to the Lee family. It was Pagulayan’s way of expressing gratitude to the man who believed in him from Day 1.

Winston said Pagulayan was in Las Vegas competing at the North American Open International Pool Tour 8-Ball Shootout when he learned of Andrew’s death. There was a delay of about 30 minutes in the tournament as organizers allowed a distraught Pagulayan a grace period to get over the news. Pagulayan phoned from Las Vegas to express his condolences.

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Andrew never forgot his roots in Paniqui where he went to school at Nicanor Reyes. Older brother Simon and he continued to give back to the town—in form of investments, business opportunities and assistance programs—even as they relocated to Manila where their paper business flourished. The Lees still have a home in Paniqui and recently set up a drug store, Trinity, to keep ties with the community.

Simon is now the only survivor of three brothers. The youngest brother Alfredo died of liver cancer six years ago.

Every year, Simon—who spends half the year in Canada attending to the family’s overseas paper business—sends a package of basketball magazines to me without fail. The package consists of college and pro basketball yearbooks that come out before each season. We share a common passion for the game. Occasionally, Simon would send me his comments on the latest sports developments by mail and I would put out his thoughts on this space.

Simon’s interest is strictly for the good of sports. Like Andrew, he champions the cause of Philippine sports.

When I visited at Andrew’s wake, I told Winston a part of his father is with me everyday.

A few years ago, Andrew surprised me with a gift—a handsome laptop case which I bring with me everywhere I go. It’s my reminder to live life as Andrew did—honestly, happily and with an open heart.

May Andrew rest in peace with the Lord. And may his example on earth serve as an inspiration to all of us.