Goodbye, classmate

I was shocked to learn from STAR columnist Butch Francisco that my classmate Vicente (Bambi) del Castillo had passed away in his Stamford, Connecticut, home last Sunday.

Butch wrote about Bambi’s death in his STAR column last Tuesday and Thursday.

Bambi and I were classmates from prep to high school at La Salle. We walked up the same stage to get our grade school diplomas in 1964 and our high school diplomas in 1968. For 12 straight years, Bambi and I attended the same classes, took the same tests and listened to the same teachers at La Salle. We were on the La Salle high school batch that was the last ever to graduate on Taft Avenue. Our class was called the Last of the Mighty.

We parted ways in college although we stayed at La Salle. Bambi took up industrial management engineering while I enrolled in liberal arts and commerce. Both courses were for five years so in 1973, we again walked up the same stage to get our college diplomas. Two of Bambi’s industrial management engineering classmates, Tato Diaz and Ken Palileo, have passed away. Another engineering classmate was former La Salle championship cager Alex Malixi.

Because our courses were different, our paths never crossed at work. I was told that Bambi worked as an expatriate in Singapore before moving to the US as the president of a multinational company. Bambi’s wife Bessie Badilla finished elementary and high school at St. Scholastica’s College–a stone’s throw away from La Salle so dates were easy to manage after classes. Bessie is well-known in showbiz circles. She was second runner-up in the 1976 Miss Philippines-World pageant and became one of Asia’s premier ramp models, signed to contracts by Balenciaga, Armani, Yves Saint Laurent, Valentino and Christian Dior, among others. Bessie toured the world as a fashion model and legendary Filipino couturiers Aureo Alonzo, Ben Farrales and Pitoy Moreno dressed her up like a queen in shows. She also appeared on TV’s popular sit-com "Eh, Kasi Babae."

As a wife, Bessie was devoted to Bambi and as a mother, she doted on their three daughters.

Bessie’s sister Bing is married to Purefoods basketball team assistant coach Ronnie Magsanoc.

In school, I remember Bambi as being very athletic. He was on the varsity softball, volleyball and track teams in both high school and college. When he was a high school senior, Bambi made it to the national football team.

Bambi was also quite intelligent. And he was handsome. His hair was always neatly combed. He walked tall and had broad shoulders. He was every colegiala’s crush. In high school, Bambi and I worked together on the editorial staff of our campus paper La Sallite. Bambi’s parents Tito Chito (Lorenzo) and Tita Charing (Rosario) are close friends of my parents-in-law Dr. and Mrs. Jose Genato. Tito Chito, a well-known architect, used to play pelota and Tita Charing, duckpin bowling at their favorite hang-out, Club Filipino in Greenhills. In 1986, Bambi’s parents migrated to Vancouver.

I’ve been forwarded e-mails of some of Bambi’s friends and I’d like to share them with you.

Here’s one from Tom Consunji:

"I spoke to Bambi’s dad, Tito Chito, tonight for a few minutes. He is doing alright but I couldn’t talk to Tita Charing, his mother, because she was pretty distraught. It is Tita Charing’s birthday next week and Bambi used to fly to Vancouver to visit on her birthday, every year. In fact, it’s Bambi’s birthday coming up on June 20. His dad told me Bambi died of a brain aneurism. Everything else, health-wise, was fine. Heart, lungs were all OK. I guess Bambi was pretty malakas with his Maker. He didn’t suffer at all and died in his sleep. We should all be so lucky."

From his industrial management engineering classmate Dante Acuna:

"I was able to speak with Bambi’s brother Chitoy tonight. Bambi passed away on Sunday evening. The family was supposed to hear Mass but Bambi excused himself because he was not feeling well. He told his wife and children to just let him sleep in his chair and not to disturb him when they return.

"Upon their return, they found Bambi still in the chair so they left him alone. After a while, Bessie thought it was time for Bambi to transfer to the bedroom upstairs so she tried to wake him up but she realized he was gone.

"Bambi’s siblings will attend the funeral in Connecticut. Unfortunately, Bambi’s parents who live in Vancouver will not be able to go. His mom suffers from hypertension and is advised not to take a flight. His dad has chosen to remain to attend to his wife. "There will be daily Masses for Bambi this week at the Immaculate Conception parish in Vancouver.

"Bambi would have been 56 on June 20. Also, it’s his mom’s birthday next week and he was supposed to fly in to celebrate it as he did every year. I understand Bambi and his mom had a long telephone conversation last Friday. This is indeed a shock."

From grade school, high school and college classmate Alfonso Nieva asking another classmate David Lalana, who is in Canada, to visit Bambi’s parents:

"You can do us all a big favor and go see Bambi’s parents in Vancouver on behalf of all of us classmates. Let them know how much Bambi meant to us and how we will miss him. Give them our best wishes and sincere condolences. They need to be consoled and know that Bambi had a lot of friends who truly cared for him."

Other classmates, including Jay del Prado, Alan Dakay, Miguel Kahn, Danny Dinio, Jim O’Leary and Chema Jordana, sent their condolences to Bambi’s family.

Tom’s e-mail hit the nail on the head. He said Bambi went peacefully and the Lord made sure of that. Our consolation is Bambi is now enjoying everlasting life with God in heaven.