Mum's Jasmine plant blooms abundantly, as ever. |
Sixty-four years ago today my mother's beloved elder brother Victor passed away after a fall from a tree, just three months shy of his twentieth birthday.
It was a tragedy that marked my mother's life in so many ways. It was the first time she had encountered a profound loss in her life. As a young child, she had to grapple with the harshness of the loss and the impact it had on her family. Her elder brother was a shining light of love and kindness. He was a protector, a comedian and a proud son. His presence filled up a room. Victor's passing created an immense and irreplaceable void. My grandparents Pastor M. Benjamin and Victoriamma bravely carried on but their hearts never recovered from the loss of their precious son—their firstborn. In 2009, my mother lovingly recounted some of her earliest recollections of her charming and enigmatic older brother.
It brings my family a measure of comfort to know that our beloved Susee Mable, her parents and loving elder brother Victor are at long last together again. RIP. You are always remembered.
October 24, 1932 - July 24, 1952 |