In remembrance of my father, I am encapsulating a part of his spirit, stories and legacy in this chain. One day, I’ll look back and revisit all this while remembering legacies that he left not only myself, but to my family and all of the people who cared about him. Even if you don’t know him, I hope through this eulogy, I could tell a fraction of a man he was and the impact he’s had on people around him.

On 4th March 2025, my father passed away peacefully after battling his terminal illness for more than 2 years. It was as if yesterday, he asked me when we’ll back on the road, to travel and visit more places. It was as if yesterday, we travelled the nook and crannies of the island, revisiting all the places we frequented when I was a kid. Those years blow like a gushing wind.

I could go on and on talking about him and his intriguing life of 61 years. Everyone says I am just an exact copy of my father even if we’re not bound by blood. One thing for sure, his legacy and teachings shaped the person I am today. My father grew up in a nomadic family, my grandfather’s job requires him to travel all over and that shaped who he was, an adventurous man. Raised in semi-military surroundings, he adopts a very strict mannerism. He was tough, responsible, yet loving and selfless.

As an individual, He was a maverick, loved going against the mainstream and even if he didn’t really talk much, he rejected societal pressure and expectations. He didn’t care what anybody had to say on how he led his life. He taught me to be unapologetic about everything and have some pride.

There are three things he also dearly loved other than my mother and I, it’s the road, car and gun. In his younger years he liked to go on a hunt, collecting off-road vehicles and he had particular liking to his GAZ-69, an off-road military vehicle used during soviet era. It was a hell of a car that turns head but was really high-cost maintenance. He could talk about it for hours and later sold it cause my mother hated that car.

To my father, no road was too tough to conquer, quite literally. I had many fond memories when we were traveling and encountering a very challenging road. He was the kind of man who could drive in an extremely thick fog in a small valley road— He was a very skilled driver and mechanics.

During his productive days, my father was a selfless man. He extends his hands to the needy without ever asking for anything in return. He’ll move a mountain for anyone that reaches out to him for help. Even if he has a couple bucks left, he would rather give it to other people who needed it more than him. It might sound silly but he was the kind of man who didn’t like to see those who are close / know him suffer or experience inconvenience.

My father taught me that parents are just human, and we’re all not perfect. Despite complexities of our relationship later in life, I had a fairly great childhood. He always made sure I was well-fed, educated and my needs are met & for that, I have always been thankful for it.

He was a good husband to my mother, a good father to me, a great uncle to my cousins, and a great son to his family. He lived a full adventurous life and it wasn’t a boring one.

I could go on and on talking about his life. It certainly wasn’t a boring one and I had a great experience and childhood because of him. I will always carry his adventurous & generosity spirit and his toughness even during a very challenging time.

My mother and I were beside him until his last breath. We accepted the hard reality and has let him go as he now no longer crying in pain. He is now peacefully rested forever, without extreme pain he constantly faced. And until we both see him again...