THANKS RICO AND ALL THOSE WHO VERY KINDLY RESPONDED TO THIS , AS ALSO HAVE BEEN SO VERY SUPPORTIVE THRU THICK AND THIN
US 'COLLE' NEVER QUIT TF/LONDON/DONVADDO On 25 November 2010 20:36, Frederick Noronha <[email protected]>wrote: > Another Saligao-linked article I came across. Sure many of you would know > Long Tony! FN > > *WHISPERING HOPE *… > > *by A. Anthony (Tony) Fernandes > [email protected]* > > *When a banyan tree is uprooted somewhere deep in the heart of the forest, > do the echoes reverberate through the ghats, or do they just fade away into > the hoary gloaming?* > > Cynthia Largo Afonso never stood for public office, nor won a Nobel Prize > for Peace, but she was an exponent of the art of looking possibility and > opportunity straight in the eye. Someone who made us understand that, if > ever we needed a helping hand, the first place to look was at the end of our > own arms. > > Wife, mother, my godmother and an inspiration to countless others, she was > the patent glue that held a clan together, in her own quiet, intuitive way. > > Yet, most of all, she had that golden touch which allowed her to establish > seemingly effortless rapport with captains of industry and the local "* > vadi* / *vaddo*" women alike. > > Despite her declining health in later years due to genetic polycystic renal > disease, she never ever let anything stop her. In between hospital dialysis > sessions, she thought nothing of hopping onto a Mumbai-Goa bound plane - or > bus, with her trusty moped atop - to travel from her Mahim home (where she'd > lived for 40+ years) to visit her beloved ancestral hamlet of Paetona, > Salvador do Mundo. > > She, along with her husband Olaf, were pretty much surrogate parents to my > brother Leonard and me, after her sister (my mother, Joyce Francesca) passed > on some 31 years ago of the same condition, aged just 39. They were role > models by extension, to us and probably at some stage or other, to so many > others, irrespective of whether they were family or not. Many will remember > her years with the Choir of the Church of Our Lady of Victory, Mahim, > Mumbai, to which her husband was also affiliated. Others will probably also > recall her time as a backup singer in what is now popularly known as > Bollywood, as well as her recordings with Konkani music greats like Oslando. > > Mental tapestry etchings of her remain .. amongst many others, of sepia > yesteryears .. of the sisters as a duo or sometimes a trio, harmonizing the > strains of their favourite "Whispering Hope" often accompanied by our Uncle > Olaf on his guitar, in the then lamp-lit evenings of seemingly endless > summer vacations at Grandmother's house! > > Were it not for her, I might not be around to write this today…. > > My first thoughts at the time she urged me to have an ultrasound scan, were > "I'm too busy running a resort in Bermuda" and "What do I need a scan for > anyway ??!!" > > Years later, in distant London I watched, in gnawing raging helplessness, > as she slowly deteriorated, while I, for whatever reason the Gods of > Celestial Roulette ordain, and whilst on nightly home-based dialysis, > received a 3:00 a.m. phone call, offering me the chance of a potential donor > kidney. > > How's that for searing survivor guilt? The cold-gutting truth is that, in > the world of life on a transplant list, many are called, but few are chosen. > > > In her passing, as in her lifetime, she was and always will be, an enduring > icon of "can do" positivity, with the art of truly connecting with people! > In the e-mailed words of Cousin Desiree, "Tony, you said it right! She was > indeed a role model and the personification of courage, endurance and life > itself! Her cheerful disposition, her bursts of laughter, her endearing > mannerisms, her wonderful persona will be sorely missed." > > It's to people like her and to my mother that we dedicate this, and the > '*Carpe > Diem*' life that I laser-focus on nowadays. This, because there are no > more dress rehearsals and second acts in this ‘Renaissance of Life’ gift, > that naught but a fortunate few have bestowed upon them! > > She did not leave a parting message. She did not need to. Her life and love > of all humanity was her message. It is our unique privilege to have known > and been blessed by her presence in > our lives. This, no one can ever take away. > > The voice of an angel has been stilled, but her song can never be silenced. > > She passed away on 19th July, 2006. On 22nd August, 2006 she would have > been all of 67 years young. > > From all those whose lives you touched and made a difference to, Aunt > Cynthia … WE SALUTE YOU! > > ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ > > *Kenya born and Goa raised, Tony Fernandes is a scion of the "Fogoti" clan > of Paetona, Salvador do Mundo and the "Ushellantlem Colle" of Saligao, Goa. > Previously Bermuda based, Tony is an apprentice writer and eco-heritage > tourism entrepreneur. During the 2005 Christmas season, he received the > priceless gift of a cadaveric kidney transplant from an anonymous donor in > the U.K. where he currently lives.* > > > Frederick Noronha :: +91-9822122436 :: +91-832-2409490 > > -- > This message comes via the Google Groups "Saligao-Net" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected] > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected] > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/saligao-net?hl=en > Please post regularly to keep the e-village active! -- A.Anthony (Tony) FERNANDES -- This message comes via the Google Groups "Saligao-Net" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/saligao-net?hl=en Please post regularly to keep the e-village active!
