Leonardo C. Fulgencio Jr.

Losing a loved one is one of the most difficult things we can go through, so much more if it is a parent. My father, Leonardo Chavez Fulgencio, Jr, passed away at the young age of 60. He lived a short but fulfilled life by living every moment as if it were his last. He was a very outgoing and social and had the ability to befriend anyone. He was always willing to help his friends and loved ones when they were in need, without having to think twice about it. He had a great sense of humor. He was always cracking jokes until the very end.

My father was extremely hard working and always made sure he got his way. When I was younger, his words were the law in our house. I used to fear him but never thought he was already teaching me one of the most valuable lessons in life. This was to stand up for what you believe in and don’t let anybody tell you otherwise. As most of you may know, my father never showed his feelings. You would only see that look that told you that you did something great, and seeing him like that made you feel like you owned the world.

My father served in the US Army for 20 years. In his words, those were the most enjoyable moments of his life. As the head of our family, he had to make the ultimate sacrifice and that was to leave his loved ones behind while he was stationed abroad. He didn’t want us to be separated, but he chose to for the sake of myself, his daughter. He didn’t want me transferring to different schools every year. He wanted my mother and I to have a stable life, even if it meant we had to spend it apart. That was his ultimate sacrifice.

During his term, that’s when he met the love of his life, my mother, Oping. As my Aunt Bernie says, that’s how their “Spam and Egg Romance” began. They were married in December 1981 and after almost 30 years, until the very end, they stuck by each other’s side, until death did they part.

His entire life changed when his granddaughter came into the picture. Nothing in his world mattered, only his beloved Princess, Yani. Since I am a single mother, my father played the role of the important male figure in my daughter’s life. For that, I will forever be indebted with gratitude for his constant support and unconditional love.

In October 2010, our family received the most devastating news. He was diagnosed with Stage 4 Lung Cancer. Every one of us was heartbroken and saddened, but he still had a positive outlook on his life. He fought this battle with every ounce of strength he had, but his disease took the best of him. Even after his doctors told him that no other treatment was available because cancer was advanced, he still had a smile on his face and responded with the words “I will fight until the end.”

With my father gone, our entire family lost our rock. He made sure our family remained solid, through the good and bad times. He would always find a way to resolve little misunderstandings before they blew out of proportion. He was the reason why “The Fulgencio’s” are untouchable. With him gone, Thursday would never be the same and family gatherings won’t be as loud. He was always the life of the party.

Others would always question their God and ask, “Why him?’’ There are so many people out there, but why him? That will always be a question that our family will ask ourselves. He was an excellent husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle and friend. He would always give everyone advice about their problems. He was also like a father to many.

But if you really think about it, we were lucky. Given his diagnosis, God was very generous to us. He allowed us to spend 10 more months with him. Those ten months were filled with laughter, tears and fear of the quality of life that remained. But because Jehovah helped us through these hard times, we were able to create more memories to remind us that instead of grieving, we should celebrate the life he lived. Even though he will not be able to physically live his dream to retire in Zamboanga, he’s fortunate enough to have loved ones who will live his dreams for him.

He had a wonderful personality and that’s evident by looking around and seeing all the people present to pay their last respects to a gentleman that was loved by many and will surely be missed. Even though he is not here physically, all the lessons and advice he taught us will help us with our personal life. His loud voice, colorful personality and distinct laughter will be remembered by all.

We may have lost the most important person in our family and our lives will never be the same. Although, knowing my father, he wouldn’t want us to be sad and cry. He would want us to continue on with our lives. The emptiness we are currently experiencing can never be filled, and the memories we have of my father can only temporarily fill that forever lasting void. As time passes, we will learn to cope with this huge loss but I know we will be fine.

Daddy, there are not enough words to say to describe how much we really miss you. Don’t worry about us here, time will help heal all wounds. I just want you to know, that I love you very much. Good-bye for now.

Krystyl