Die Hard.
"Love makes you immortal."
- The Priest tonight
I do this for everybody I know who passes away - no matter what our relationship may have been. I guess that means I've done quite a number of these in the last few years. But don't be fooled, that doesn't mean this one is any less important, after all this is about butterfly kisses, and love in the time of leukemia, isn't it? It is.
Matthew Sham, known fondly as "Tito Matt/Bruce Willis/Die Hard", was many things: mysterious, good-looking, Filipino-American, Ilonggo, La Sallian, intimidating, hard-working...the list could go on and on. He worked for Microsoft, and thus had a lot of the latest technologies around, but he wasn't materialistic, nor was he a gadget-monger or anything like that. In fact, he lived rather simply and sweetly - the way most people should live.
Spending my coming-of-age years close to his princess eldest daughter, Maggie, I came to know him for the one thing most everyone will remember him for: his being a father. If there is one thing in his life he did with utmost finesse, it was definitely being a Dad. He doted on all three of his daughters with equal affection, and was the reason Maggie was both pampered and grounded. When you look at his wife and daughters, you know for sure this was a man of principle because he sure left behind amazing legacies in each of them - legacies of strength, goodwill, compassion, and openness.
Although I don't have many clear memories of him, the few I do have are going to be forever etched in my brain from this moment on. Memories that span from the time Mags and I became close in 1st year high school, to the time I found out he had leukemia on March 1st 2008, and lastly to today wherein I saw him for the very last time. I will never forget his vibrance, his energy as he would tell Dans and I stories about Dans' dad (Tito Dan) - stories about when they were buddies in La Salle. I will never forget his playful protectiveness as he checked up on Mags constantly on those nights when he and Tita Nano treated Maggie, Josh, Luis, and I to McDonald's almost two nights a week in March 2007. I will never forget his silly jokes as he warned us to be good those same nights. I will never forget that night when Dans and I bumped into the whole Sham family in Fully Booked High Street and he didn't look like the same person - skinny, gaunt, gray-skinned; instead of his usually white, rosy, balding, muscular, athletic-looking self. I will never forget that night when Mags told us he had leukemia, and both Dans and I left Fully Booked feeling the weight of a ton of bricks upon our backs. And lastly, I will never forget the way he looked tonight - gaunter than ever, skinnier than ever, grayer than ever, but smiling, at peace, in his casket, as Mags' boyfriend sang a rendition of Gary V's I Will Be Here, and Tita Nano made the rounds in the capilla, politely accepting condolences and best regards. I will never forget rushing out of that place holding Dans by the arm because Butterfly Kisses came on and she couldn't take it. I will never forget standing outside the capilla and hearing Tita Nano say, "I just want everyone to pause and listen to this song (Butterfly Kisses) because this is what we all want Matt to be remembered as: a father, because that's what he was. That was his best legacy."
Tito Matt was a model dad. Yes, trust me, as a good friend of his eldest daughter, I know he wasn't perfect. But he came pretty darn close. I can only hope that when I grow up my husband and I can raise our kids to be as sweet, and kind, and thoughtful, and well-rounded as the Sham girls are.
Here's to the man who looked like Bruce Willis, but was more mysterious, and had a hotter body. Haha.
Rest in peace, Tito Matt. We all love you very much down here.
- The Priest tonight
I do this for everybody I know who passes away - no matter what our relationship may have been. I guess that means I've done quite a number of these in the last few years. But don't be fooled, that doesn't mean this one is any less important, after all this is about butterfly kisses, and love in the time of leukemia, isn't it? It is.
Matthew Sham, known fondly as "Tito Matt/Bruce Willis/Die Hard", was many things: mysterious, good-looking, Filipino-American, Ilonggo, La Sallian, intimidating, hard-working...the list could go on and on. He worked for Microsoft, and thus had a lot of the latest technologies around, but he wasn't materialistic, nor was he a gadget-monger or anything like that. In fact, he lived rather simply and sweetly - the way most people should live.
Spending my coming-of-age years close to his princess eldest daughter, Maggie, I came to know him for the one thing most everyone will remember him for: his being a father. If there is one thing in his life he did with utmost finesse, it was definitely being a Dad. He doted on all three of his daughters with equal affection, and was the reason Maggie was both pampered and grounded. When you look at his wife and daughters, you know for sure this was a man of principle because he sure left behind amazing legacies in each of them - legacies of strength, goodwill, compassion, and openness.
Although I don't have many clear memories of him, the few I do have are going to be forever etched in my brain from this moment on. Memories that span from the time Mags and I became close in 1st year high school, to the time I found out he had leukemia on March 1st 2008, and lastly to today wherein I saw him for the very last time. I will never forget his vibrance, his energy as he would tell Dans and I stories about Dans' dad (Tito Dan) - stories about when they were buddies in La Salle. I will never forget his playful protectiveness as he checked up on Mags constantly on those nights when he and Tita Nano treated Maggie, Josh, Luis, and I to McDonald's almost two nights a week in March 2007. I will never forget his silly jokes as he warned us to be good those same nights. I will never forget that night when Dans and I bumped into the whole Sham family in Fully Booked High Street and he didn't look like the same person - skinny, gaunt, gray-skinned; instead of his usually white, rosy, balding, muscular, athletic-looking self. I will never forget that night when Mags told us he had leukemia, and both Dans and I left Fully Booked feeling the weight of a ton of bricks upon our backs. And lastly, I will never forget the way he looked tonight - gaunter than ever, skinnier than ever, grayer than ever, but smiling, at peace, in his casket, as Mags' boyfriend sang a rendition of Gary V's I Will Be Here, and Tita Nano made the rounds in the capilla, politely accepting condolences and best regards. I will never forget rushing out of that place holding Dans by the arm because Butterfly Kisses came on and she couldn't take it. I will never forget standing outside the capilla and hearing Tita Nano say, "I just want everyone to pause and listen to this song (Butterfly Kisses) because this is what we all want Matt to be remembered as: a father, because that's what he was. That was his best legacy."
Tito Matt was a model dad. Yes, trust me, as a good friend of his eldest daughter, I know he wasn't perfect. But he came pretty darn close. I can only hope that when I grow up my husband and I can raise our kids to be as sweet, and kind, and thoughtful, and well-rounded as the Sham girls are.
Here's to the man who looked like Bruce Willis, but was more mysterious, and had a hotter body. Haha.
Rest in peace, Tito Matt. We all love you very much down here.