Woke up this morning to receive a text message from my ex-colleague... "Gie, sad news.. Jas passed away this morning." I was stunned for a moment.. it didn't really hit me at first. I replied.. "Oh dear, I am sorry, thanks for the info."
I have heard he was sick, he has been sick on and off for quite a while and had been diagnosed as having that dreaded C. I also heard that he was advised to go for operation and chemo but he declined preferring to take alternative medicine.
I have known Jas for a long time, having worked with him for more than 25 years. Not only a friendly guy, but really helpful and a great joker at that. I did not only treat him like a friend, but also like a brother.
I remember those working days with him, whenever he passed by my table, he would always be saying something funny, ridiculous funny that would leave all of us in stitches.
Helpful and dependable, he would willingly do anything that I request even to the point of collecting or delivering my personal errands.
An affable guy, he can be quite 'fierce' if pushed to the corner. This I know, he has done with other colleagues, but never to me. There were times when he was a little hard up, (don't we all), he would quietly come to me and I have no qualms about lending him some and telling him not to hurry in paying back 'cos I trust and know that he would always pay me back in his time. After. I left the Bank, he kept in touch and I was one of the few whom he invited to his daughter's wedding. My regret - that I was not able to visit him while he was sick. I never imagined he would go so soon and thought that he would get well eventually. My deepest sympathy to his family and may they be strong during this difficult times.
Farewell from this earthly life my dear friend. You are now in a place where there is pain no more. I am going to miss you, we all are .. so many happy memories, your jokes, the laughter we shared, the assistance rendered to me. I am deeply indebted to you. Thank you for being such a good friend, thank you for touching my life with your kindness. God bless and may your soul be placed among those yang beriman. Semoga kamu damai di sana Jas.
Taken during Jas' daughter's wedding a year ago.
His wife on my left and on his left, an ex-colleague.
