This photo of Jeremy was taken last May 2008. Jeremy doesn't want to have his picture taken. This was just a stolen shot by his mother.
I never personally met Jeremy but I think he will definitely call me "kuya".
Jeremy was born on September 16, 1988. Let us just say he wasn't really expected like most conceptions are. My uncle impregnated the "yaya" of my sister who was just few months old then. A very "telenovela" beginning for Jeremy.
After birth, Jeremy was left in the care of his maternal grandmother in our hometown since his mother has to work in Manila just to raise him alone.
Basically, Jeremy was recognized by our family despite his illegitimacy though he wasn't really accepted by his own father which got worse when it had a shotgun wedding and four offsprings came after that.
When Jeremy was in grade 3, he was under the advisory of our paternal grandmother. He several times before told his mother that he can recall that "lola" used to fetch him riding a pedicab and gave him few pesos for snacks. Lola was very fond of him, perhaps because he is just nearby and almost the rest of her grandchildren were raised in the city which an hour away from our hometown.
From Grade 4 up to the time he graduated from elementary and first two years in high school, Jeremy spent it with his mother's relatives in Antipolo. Here, he got close with his cousins, which now I envy a lot.
It was in his junior year that Jeremy returned to our hometown but his studies was put into halt after a humiliation incident occurred that involved a classmate of him pulling down his trousers and teased him as faggot. After then, it seemed quite hard for Jeremy to stay in school. It even got heavy on Jeremy when his beloved maternal grandmother who raised him passed away.
Jeremy did not finish his senior year after several attempts and motivations.
It was until recently that after years of separation, Jeremy was able to spend longer time with his mother who was always away working abroad for him. Everything was fine for the first two months. His mother acquired a house for the both them. The two of them helped in painting the walls and slowly furnishing of the house that they would call home from then on.
It was just last week that Jeremy's mother has started to work on her papers to leave once again since all her savings is already slowly depleting. She even requested him to postpone plans to going back to school to next year.
On the night of July 1, 2008, Jeremy's mother arrived at their home noticing that all the lights were off and the music is turned on. She turned on the lights first as well as turned on the television to check the news. Then she was really wondering where Jeremy might be. It was when she opened the door to the comfort room that she saw her only child lifeless. She was screaming and asking for help from her relatives who were just staying next door. She was hugging Jeremy by the torso telling to herself that wasn't happening. Afterwards, a letter was found on her bed. It was from Jeremy.
Today, July 9, 2008, Jeremy was brought to his final resting place. He was buried where her maternal grandmother was buried before. Me and my sister was there to see him for the last time yet his memory lives on with us and those who love him though he thought that nobody did. And up to the last minute, his father was a coward and didn't see him just even for the last time.
Jeremy at age 19, left us with a lot of questions and lesson that I want to share to whoever might be reading this. This is to never abandon nor neglect any family member no matter what.
During the wake, I was able to get hold of Jeremy's mobile phone and I found out that we have something in common. We are fond of red Ferrari cars. That's why during the interment, I dropped a die cast model of a red Ferrari car on top of his white coffin to let him know his kuya will surely miss him and he will not be forgotten.
