At about 3.30 pm today, Bro. Wellington Edward (Well) ... my senior in Kolej DPAH Abdillah Kuching and PTD batch 2/2004 had left us to meet the Lord after battling Tubercolosis Meningitis for 2 weeks. Words can't describe the heart wrenching final moments when the life support machine was switched off and his beat getting slower and slower until the monitor showed a straight line.
I couldn't hold myself that time as I had refrained myself from crying since Monday, the day I got that Facebook message from White, call from Sara, and sms from Kazen Davidson about his condition. I had not met him for more than 17 years but we caught up about each other from Cousin Jimoh and White. When Cousin Jim asked me to update about him, followed by a l'ong distant" call from White and later found out that fellow Collegians whom had been smsing with him before Saturday were kept in the dark of his status, I decided to visit him at the hospital.
I was so happy to meet Sis Carol Billy, bro Well's first cousin at the Sungai Buloh Hospital. I also met fellow PTD friend Barbara and created new friendship with Handrian, Paul and Mizi(Well's PTD friends). The two nights I spent waiting and praying in the hospital, suddenly I found myself conversing in Iban to all Well's family members. Even during the prayers sessions with fellowships from the St Mary's Church.
I am never a religious person, but yesternight ... I prayed real hard. That was all that I could offer .. prayers. Barbara and Handrian had been helping the family on administering everything in KL. So at the very least, I offered prayers. And for a while, there were glimmer of hope when his heatbeat improved.
Well's mum was trying to be strong, but somehow occasionally she broke down. His dad seemed has accepted his fate. Sis Carol looked exhausted thus, I tried not disturbed them much with questions ... they needed space to breathe and said their prayers too.
Collin came, Sara was there. I had to hold Colin hard for strength. Even to that final moment, I still hope for a miracle ... Why did he have a special place in my heart? We had not spoke for years!!!
It was in 1990 and I was a freshie in Kolej Abdillah. So during the orientation, all freshies were asked to get signatures of all prefects or else we will get punished. As I was "disoriented" on where or who to start with ... a friendly face approached me and said ..." nun that girl is Carol Billy, go and approach her". Sis Carol's signature proved hard to get though she was the first person I knew. If I am not mistaken, she had me, Sara and Agnes sang as a band. Sara holding the broom pretending to be a guitar, Agnes on the pail mimicking the drum and me, the lead singer holding the water heater.
I often came back to him again later, asking who's who. Believe it or not, he was the last person to signed my prefect list. (Sigh!) Unfortunately, when the orientation over ... we never spoke, though we occasionally bumped unto each other 3 years later.
When I spoke to his colleagues and PTD friends ... they all related to him as a jovial and joker.
Funny, as over our many accidental meetings in Kolej Abdillah ... I couldn't remember he ever smiled at me again nor he ever joked around. I wonder what went wrong.
I was so sad to finally meet him again but with his life hanging on life support. However, the memory of our first meeting kept playing on my mind as I whispered to him last night "brother Well, everyone send their love and please come back to meet them".
(cry...)
Dear Well, if I could replay our first meeting again ... then this time I want to tell you ... "nun Jesus Christ there, go and approach Him". And don't worry, He won't make you sing to get His signature. Just show you love Him.
Rest In Peace and May The Glory of The Lord Be With You. Amen
I couldn't hold myself that time as I had refrained myself from crying since Monday, the day I got that Facebook message from White, call from Sara, and sms from Kazen Davidson about his condition. I had not met him for more than 17 years but we caught up about each other from Cousin Jimoh and White. When Cousin Jim asked me to update about him, followed by a l'ong distant" call from White and later found out that fellow Collegians whom had been smsing with him before Saturday were kept in the dark of his status, I decided to visit him at the hospital.
I was so happy to meet Sis Carol Billy, bro Well's first cousin at the Sungai Buloh Hospital. I also met fellow PTD friend Barbara and created new friendship with Handrian, Paul and Mizi(Well's PTD friends). The two nights I spent waiting and praying in the hospital, suddenly I found myself conversing in Iban to all Well's family members. Even during the prayers sessions with fellowships from the St Mary's Church.
I am never a religious person, but yesternight ... I prayed real hard. That was all that I could offer .. prayers. Barbara and Handrian had been helping the family on administering everything in KL. So at the very least, I offered prayers. And for a while, there were glimmer of hope when his heatbeat improved.
Well's mum was trying to be strong, but somehow occasionally she broke down. His dad seemed has accepted his fate. Sis Carol looked exhausted thus, I tried not disturbed them much with questions ... they needed space to breathe and said their prayers too.
Collin came, Sara was there. I had to hold Colin hard for strength. Even to that final moment, I still hope for a miracle ... Why did he have a special place in my heart? We had not spoke for years!!!
It was in 1990 and I was a freshie in Kolej Abdillah. So during the orientation, all freshies were asked to get signatures of all prefects or else we will get punished. As I was "disoriented" on where or who to start with ... a friendly face approached me and said ..." nun that girl is Carol Billy, go and approach her". Sis Carol's signature proved hard to get though she was the first person I knew. If I am not mistaken, she had me, Sara and Agnes sang as a band. Sara holding the broom pretending to be a guitar, Agnes on the pail mimicking the drum and me, the lead singer holding the water heater.
I often came back to him again later, asking who's who. Believe it or not, he was the last person to signed my prefect list. (Sigh!) Unfortunately, when the orientation over ... we never spoke, though we occasionally bumped unto each other 3 years later.
When I spoke to his colleagues and PTD friends ... they all related to him as a jovial and joker.
Funny, as over our many accidental meetings in Kolej Abdillah ... I couldn't remember he ever smiled at me again nor he ever joked around. I wonder what went wrong.
I was so sad to finally meet him again but with his life hanging on life support. However, the memory of our first meeting kept playing on my mind as I whispered to him last night "brother Well, everyone send their love and please come back to meet them".
(cry...)
Dear Well, if I could replay our first meeting again ... then this time I want to tell you ... "nun Jesus Christ there, go and approach Him". And don't worry, He won't make you sing to get His signature. Just show you love Him.
Rest In Peace and May The Glory of The Lord Be With You. Amen
10 comments:
To see a friend's life ebbing away as shown by the ECG monitor is certainly very traumatic. You've captured a very rare moment in life (and death) on your blog, J. May he rest in peace.
Thank you for having the courage to blog this though it's tough for you experiencing the last moment and losing a great friend like Well from the surface of the earth...
Bro. Well, may you Rest in Peace!
takziah kepada keluarga Well..
Dapat aku rasa kesedihan itu...2 Dis 2002, aku langsung tak malu menangis dpn org smbil mengelap hingus kat lengan baju...Org semacam tengok. Ckp pun tak boleh...menangis je 2 hr 2 mlm tanpa henti, tak dpt makan, cuma minum air kosong je. Terus drastik turun ke 45 kg. Di tempat keje, semua org tya,"ko sakit ke?". Sbb muka cengkung dan tiba2 kurus.
J, tolong sampaikan simpatiku pada kawanmu Yoyop kerana nampak teruk sekali.Sampai tinggal 45kg. Tak baik menangis keterlaluan kerana semua kita akan menemui maut juga. Hujung perjalanan hidup ialah permulaan jln menemui Tuhan. Salam istiqamah.
Norzah, suna, Kazen Abet and Yoyop: Thanks for the well wishes and I have conveyed to Well's family and in every prayers to Well. Yes I am still traumatise by this experience, in fact been crying everytime I think of him. He has so much to offer the world and the world was smiling upon him ... sorry Kazen, when u called I broke down in front of u. I only felt much better last night, after receving sms from carol and barb that well's remain had safely reached Entanak, Betong and again crying..
To White: I know how much you wanted to be by his side. The 2 nights I stayed at the hospital with him and his family, there were always signs of recovery ... but the morning after sure we get bad news. On his bedside I told him that "please get well soon, Alim (in Australia) and Jimoh (in Cape Town) is so concern about u". There was one time, suddenly he responded (on tuesday night) ... I had to say .. Mizi, Barbara, Handrian, Paul and his mum were excited. Barb cried when I called to confirm about Well's status on Wed morning after I received sms form Kak Carol ... then I felt my energy drained from my body.
Yop, when u called that 2 dis 2002 to inform that your dad passed away, I cried too that night... I still remember him waiting for me at Tawau bus station. I really understand how u felt.
Bro Wellington, may your soul rest in peace.
Mie, it was a shocked to me to read that he had left us, I didn't even know he was not well. I've never met him also after he left Kolej, but I remember all my seniors well due to the orientation programme.
Mie, pls sms me ur hp at kosong nik taruh, taruh pree juk, pat pree pree nuom.
Norzah, TQ. Itu cerita 7 thn yg lalu. Skrg dah ok. Sbnrnya, tak byk pun yg turun...hehehe...sbb I ni orgnya petite je & my ideal body mass is 45 kg. Haha
Yoyop, mula2 aku ingat u nangis tentang kawan yg sama sehingga tarikh 2.12.2002 menjolok kesedaran.
Ya, dua tahun dulu, tentu kawan lain. Rupa-rupanya tarikh pemergian ayah u sendiri. Memang saat-saat tersedih, menangis 2 hr 2 mlm. Nyata angka 2 kurang sesuai bagi u. Org petite kalau emo memang lama kesannya, perasaannya senang melarat keseluruh badan. Juga lebih intense kerana tak banyak fat(lemak) yg menyerap perasaan itu, hehe. Lain sikit chemistrynya dari org yg voluptuous dan curvaceous macam Jamei, hoho.
Sori, Yoyop. 7 tahun yg lalu. Angka dua tu pun mengelirukan aku kerana terlalu banyak kali berulang.
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