~
She was April Jane Canasta Duray, born on 21 March 1995 to (currently) Barangay Captain Ruben Duray and his wife Marites Canasta-Duray. She had three sibling: Justine, Raven, and Cassandra.
Among others, she was our Senior Class Treasurer, a member of our top ten honorees during graduation, a good friend, a "mommy" and "tita" to many in our batch, a responsible daughter, and a graduating Political Science major from the University of the Philippines Visayas Tacloban College.
Recently,our batch hosted HAKA 2014 (The TNHS Junior Alumni Halloween Party) on 31 October 2014 and, being a supportive batch mate, she was there to help with the decorations and other preparations. Everything was okay at that time.
But around 7:30 am on 03 November 2014, en route to Tacloban from Taft after the Undas, she met a motorcycle accident near Loop-d-loop Bridge which caused internal hemorrhage in her cranium. She was then brought to St. Paul's Hospital in Tacloban where she had a two-hour surgery which the doctor said to have been successful.
However, around 2-3 in the morning of 05 November, she suddenly had complications which ultimately resulted to her early demise.
And today, our batch together with her family, friends, and relatives, laid April to her final resting place at the Taft Cemetery.
We grieve for her death, of course. But more importantly, we celebrate her life - the good life that she had shared with us.
Now here's the eulogy we made for her last night which I delivered during the necrological services held at the St James Parish Church this morning:
Una namon nga nakilala hi April han June 2007. First year high school kami; didto man hiya nag-graduate han elementary ha Mabuhay Elementary School as Class Valedictorian
Han nag-iristorya kami kagabi han iya last lamay, nagsiring han akon batch mates nga “palaban” an una nira nga naging impression ha iya, ngan nakita namon ini nga gumawas han upat ka tuig nam ha Taft National High School. Kay maprinsipyo gud hiya nga tawo. Diri hiya nagruruha-duha nga magsagdon hit iba nga tawo kun mali na it iya nakikita. Labi na ha iya kasangkayan.
Pero ha luyo hini, mahinatagon ngan mabinuligon dama hi April nga sangkay. Nasiring ngani hi Iklet, usa namon nga classmate, nabulig kuno at hiya paghimo han assignments ngan nagtututdo ngin may napabulig pag-intindi han am’ school lessons. Maupay daw gihap hiya mag-advice hiunong hit love problems siring ni Michelle Lobigas, usa pa nam nga classmate. Ngani, “mommy” ngan “tita” an iba han mga itinawag ha iya han am batch mates, dara han iya “motherly” nga pagtrato han iya mga kasangkayan.
Dara dama siguro nga suhag hiya nga anak, nadara gihap niya ha iskwelahan an pagiging maupay niya nga leader, labi na kun mayda groupings. Ngan bisan hadto pa, siring ngahaw ni Iklet, hiya an matured ha amon maghuna-huna.
Kay bisan ngin nagmi-meeting kami, kun nahirarayo na kami pag-iristorya hin mga dreamy ngan ambitious nga mga plano, hiya an nagpapahinumdom ha am hit realidad pinaagi hin mga praktikal nga mga suhestiyon.
Pero damo dama an am goofy moments upod hiya. Mahilig hiya mag-istorya hin makaharadlok pero usa gihap hiya han mga pinaka-hadlukon. Upod dama at hiya han mga na-absent para mamatron. Tapos nasiring hi Miti, nagjo-joke gad at hiya pero waley an joke. Usa hadto an pagsiring niya hin “day, tagpira na yana it presyo hit lukad, di ka la gihap nagbabag-o!” Hehe.
(…)
Kunta gad ngani ano, gintagan pa kita hin mas halaba pa nga panahon upod hiya. Pero siguro, ha luyo hini ngatanan, siring pa, there’s a greater reason for this. Kumbaga, kinahanglan la talaga siguro ni Lord hin usa pa nga angel ha langit, ngan nagkataon la nga hi April an napili.Kaya, after all the good things we shared with her, our batch now prays for her. May she rest in eternal peace!
(April, DosMilOnse will surely miss you… very much!)
Salamat po han iyo pamati.
