Jack B Brijmohan

Bissoon Brijmohan, also known as Bridgey, Budzo and Jack, a dutiful son, a beloved husband, and father, adored brother, respected uncle, cherished grandfather and true friend died at 11:30 AM, on September 19, 2016. He was 71 years old. Jack was born on October 6, 1944, in Diamond Estate, Guyana to the late Bahadur and Etwaria Brijmohan. Jack is survived by his beautiful, loving and devoted wife Chandra, his amazing daughters Mala and Sharda, his grandchildren, Timothy, Melanie, Grace, Julia and Brendan, his siblings, Cecil, Betty, Baba, Rena, Golin, and many loving nieces, nephews, and grandchildren.

Jack grew up in Diamond Estate and later moved to Covent Garden, East Bank Demerara. He was the third-youngest of seven siblings. He loved to play cricket, cards, marbles, fly kites, and to play hooky from school. He once convinced a friend's mother to go to his school and pretend to be his mom so he would not get into trouble for cutting class.

Jack started out bookish and had a natural thirst for knowledge, just like his father. He began his formal education in Providence Primary School and then attended Central High School in Georgetown. Upon graduation, he obtained a job as a junior accountant at the Milk Pasteurization Plant in Georgetown.

During the 80-Day Strike in 1964, Jack's life changed forever. As a volunteer teacher for grammar school children in East Bank, Jack caught a glimpse of a totally captivating and beautiful girl named Chandra. He followed her every day after classes on his bicycle hoping to get her attention. Jack pursued her mercilessly for weeks until she finally acknowledged his existence. Chandra told him in no uncertain terms that he had no chance with her unless he got off that bicycle and onto a motorcycle. A few weeks later Jack showed up after school on a motorcycle and won his girl's heart forever.

Jack and Chandra dated for two years and were married in 1966. Their union was blessed in February 1968 with their first child Mala.

While Jack was busy working to support his new family, Chandra noticed that the economic and social conditions in Guyana were deteriorating and the prospects for a happy and successful life may no longer exist in their homeland. Chandra asked Jack if he wanted to go to America because a lot of people had left Guyana and were not coming back. Chandra told him that something good must be going on over there, and asked Jack if he wanted to go and check it out. Jack did not want to leave his family and friends. It took months of subtle prodding and convincing before he agreed. Jack obtained a student visa to venture to New York to study air conditioning and refrigeration. But there was a problem, it was very expensive to travel to America, and they did not have the money. Chandra borrowed the money from her mother for his plane ticket and he had $125 left over to start a new life in America.

On December 29, 1969, Jack left his pregnant wife and young daughter Mala and got onto a plane to America. When he got off the plane at JFK, there was no one waiting for him in this strange new land. His telegram to a friend that was supposed to pick him up got lost. After he waited for hours on the curb without a winter coat, for a ride that never came, he took a cab and went to the address of another friend. Jack knocked and knocked and waited but no one answered. He got back into the cab and went to a hotel but they did not accept Guyanese currency. Jack once again got back into the cab and went to another friend, but when he got there, he learned that this friend had moved two weeks earlier. At this point, things did not look good for this newcomer to America. He was nervous, frightened, and weary from his travels. The cab driver noticed his discomfort and heightened level of anxiety and took him back to one of the previous addresses where he knocked and knocked, until finally, his friend Sase appeared. A friendly smile, a comforting embrace and a place to rest was finally found.

The harrowing experience of his first night in America might have been too much for a lesser man, but not Jack. This initiation to America began to forge an intestinal fortitude that was second to none. With the hopes and dreams of an entire family laying squarely on his shoulders, he decided that nothing or no one would stand in his way, keep him down, dampen his spirit or ever knock the smile off his face.

Jack's first night in America set the tone for what was to be expected in his adopted country. It was not going to be easy, and hardships would definitely be a major part of the journey. Difficult decisions would have to be made, and they would have to overcome dire circumstances. Jack's early experiences built resolve, hardened his mind, toughen his character and built that young man from Covent Garden into a world beater.

He lived with his friends Sase, Neville, and Jeewan for a few months until he got a job and could afford a place of his own. He worked a couple of factory jobs to pay the rent and started saving to get Chandra to America.

On April 18, 1970, five months pregnant, Chandra traveled to New York. Jack was at JFK to pick her up. They got an apartment and lived in Spanish Harlem. With a wife, a baby on the way and Mala still in Guyana, he had to find a way to earn more money. In order to get a junior level accounting position at Pat Fashions in New York City, Jack had to fib on his job application that he had a green card. Jack and Chandra started their life together in America with a job that paid him $65 a week, $25 of which went to school fees, $25 for rent and $15 to live. This humble beginning was hard, but they were happy, they had each other, and they were together.

Sharda was born in August 1970 and they continued to build their life together. Jack and Chandra obtained their green cards in 1972 and became legal residents as a result of their anchor baby Sharda. Mala soon joined her parents in New York, but there was a big problem.

Jack and Chandra could not save money to bring their families to America and afford childcare for baby Sharda. They made the painful and difficult decision to send their newborn baby to Guyana to live with her grandparents.

In 1973, while he worked full-time, Jack enrolled at Bronx Community College where he attended classes part-time. He earned his Associates Degree in 1977. After graduation, he promptly enrolled at Fordham University where he earned his Bachelor of Science in May 1979 as he worked and went to school full-time. Jack did not stop, he quickly enrolled at Pace University in 1979 and completed his MBA in September 1983, as a part-time student with a full-time job.

Sharda returned to America in 1974, and for the first time, their family was whole. Jack and Chandra sacrificed over 6 years of their children's formative lives for the betterment of their families.

Jack worked at the Hertz Corporation from 1975 to 1979 where he actually met O.J. Simpson. He then got a better position and moved to Warner Communications, where he worked from 1980 to 1983. Never satisfied and always wanting to improve his career, Jack left Warner for the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, where he worked from 1984 to 1989. The hunger for self-improvement never died, he once again left and took a position with HHL Financial in Great Neck, where he worked from 1989-1993. His last job and the one he was most proud, was as a specialized auditor for the IRS, where he worked from 1993 until he retired in 2010. He loved this job because when he showed up for an audit, he enjoyed with restrained jubilation the sight of tax cheats quivering in their seats and scared stiff of the Indian man from Uncle Sam.

From 1978 to 1980, the man who called himself the Coolie Columbus sponsored and brought to America all of his, and Chandra's siblings, their children, and his parents. Jack made sure that they did not suffer the hardships he had to endure as a new immigrant. Jack was at JFK to pick up all of his relatives with a big smile and a comforting embrace. He was there for them from their first steps off the plane in America until the end of his life.

All of Jack and Chandra's families lived with them in their two-bedroom apartment in Mount Vernon for the first few weeks or months after they arrived in America until they got jobs and saved enough money to get their own apartments. This initial time lived together bonded the families as they celebrated their reunification after almost a decade apart. It set the stage for his legend and legacy.

Jack's hard work, dedication, and tireless efforts inspired his children, nieces, and nephews to pursue higher education. College was not a question. It was the answer. Many went on and earned degrees from graduate and professional schools. His progeny now works in such professions as teaching, research, and development, technology, engineering, finance, management, law, and medicine.

Everyone thought Jack was a party animal because he loved to drink, dance, sing and play loud music; but that was not the entire story. Jack only wanted his family together and for nothing to tear them apart again.

Through their hard work and determination to take the American dream and make it their own, Jack and Chandra purchased their own house in October 1980, in West Islip on Long Island. That house became the home base for the entire family. Jack re-kindled the flame that was left dimmed by his departed parents. Their home was a place with an abundance of love, where everyone gathered and was always welcomed. There was always food, drinks, music, dance, love, and laughter. The parties started on Friday nights and ended Sunday evenings. Jack was the original party guy; it was the way he wanted to bring and hold his family and friends close, and to celebrate life. Jack danced to the beat of his own drum, worked hard and played harder. His love of music and his music became the lifeblood of his family and friends.

After Jack retired from the IRS, his passion for the outdoors and nature took him to his backyard where he worked diligently for hours each day on his garden and lawn. This left plenty of time for him to become a severe, full-time pain in the neck for Chandra. He loved football and was a remarkably gifted football prognosticator and Sunday afternoon football Guru.

His grandchildren became the focus of his life in retirement. They would randomly show up to hang out with their grandparents. He was their grandpa and he would spoil them because this was his new job. Trips to Home Depot turned into a day or weekend adventure to the mall, their favorite places such as Wendy's, Carvel and Wally's Bagels. They had long talks about life, advice on the importance of education and developing the self-discipline to set goals, complete tasks and work hard with the end game firmly planted into their minds. His grandchildren grew up knowing he would always be there to lend a helping hand, give sage advice, and tell stories that would make them laugh to the point of tears. Jack's love, devotion, and time well spent with his grandchildren were cherished and unmatched.

Jack lived the life of a king. He traveled extensively and visited Canada, Mexico, Russia, England, Ireland, France, Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Australia, New Zealand and India, just to name a few countries. Jack traveled the world, sailed its oceans, met and embraced its many people and sampled their exquisite cuisines. He ate lavishly from the plate of life and drank voraciously from its chalice. Jack's life is one without regret.

Jack lived with one grand hope. He wanted his family whom he worked so hard and sacrificed so much to bring to America, to stay together, be united, get educated, and have good opportunities to accomplish great things that would make him proud and fill him with pride and selfless joy.

It is not what you do while you are alive that makes your mark or will be remembered, but it is what you leave behind that will cement your legacy. Although the maestro's music has been lowered, his light has been dimmed and his laughter has become a quiet whisper in our ears, he will live on in Chandra, Mala, Sharda, and his grandchildren, the shining stars of his life, Timmy, Mel, Grace, Julia and his boy Brendan.

He often said, show me your friends and I will tell you who you are. Take solace in knowing that you are part of Jack as he is a part of you. Do not mourn or be sad but rejoice in his homecoming. Jack was not afraid of his mortality because, in death, he knew he would be reunited with his parents and brother. He often said, "When I die, do not cry," and that we should "eat, drink, play loud music and dance." So let us celebrate a life well lived.

Ravi Ramphul