My older brother, Manuel Fidalgo Afonso, passed away suddenly on Tuesday, February 16, 2010, while visiting his friend Rita Ferreira in San Diego, California. Manny died from a massive heart attack as he was getting into the car to go to the airport to return home to Peabody, Massachusetts, where he has lived since September 1974 when our family immigrated from Soajo, Portugal.
Born in Soajo on December 12, 1962, Manny was a mere 47 years old. Manny loved his family, Soajo and Portugal (in that order). He had a great big heart and was always ready and willing to lend a helping hand to his friends and family. He was a good person and a great big brother. Manny leaves behind his father, Antonio, his sister Rosa and me. He also leaves behind two nieces, Kelsey and Alexandria, and a nephew Connor. Two aunts to helped raise Manny, tia Rosa and tia Maria, also remain behind in Soajo. He also leaves many cousins, aunts and uncles who will miss Manny dearly.
Manny will be buried in Soajo, our ancestral village, in the same cemetery plot where our mother Teresa is buried as well as our grandmother Rosalina and grandfather Jose. Manny will at last rest in peace next to the mother and grandmother he so dearly loved. Manny's spirit will surely be at peace in the village he loved so much and talked about often.
Because Manny is making such a long trip from California to Soajo, and because of the government bureaucracy, funeral services will be held in Soajo on Friday, February 26th (exact hour yet to be determined).
(It is with deep sorrow and sadness that I write this brief obituary from my cell phone in Soajo. When I am able to access a computer I will add some pictures of Manny.)
Born in Soajo on December 12, 1962, Manny was a mere 47 years old. Manny loved his family, Soajo and Portugal (in that order). He had a great big heart and was always ready and willing to lend a helping hand to his friends and family. He was a good person and a great big brother. Manny leaves behind his father, Antonio, his sister Rosa and me. He also leaves behind two nieces, Kelsey and Alexandria, and a nephew Connor. Two aunts to helped raise Manny, tia Rosa and tia Maria, also remain behind in Soajo. He also leaves many cousins, aunts and uncles who will miss Manny dearly.
Manny will be buried in Soajo, our ancestral village, in the same cemetery plot where our mother Teresa is buried as well as our grandmother Rosalina and grandfather Jose. Manny will at last rest in peace next to the mother and grandmother he so dearly loved. Manny's spirit will surely be at peace in the village he loved so much and talked about often.
Because Manny is making such a long trip from California to Soajo, and because of the government bureaucracy, funeral services will be held in Soajo on Friday, February 26th (exact hour yet to be determined).
(It is with deep sorrow and sadness that I write this brief obituary from my cell phone in Soajo. When I am able to access a computer I will add some pictures of Manny.)
A sorrowful brother,
Jose Afonso
2 Comments:
Os meus pesemos.
entrar en Soajo e sempre , casi sempre, un espazo de alegria, hoxe non, e pena e tristeza, para a familia e amigos de Manny, dende ribeira.eu e no meu nome manueldominguez.es expreso o meu pesar a familia de Manny e comparto ese triste momento
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