Letty loved life passionately

MAGSANOC. Touched many people’s. PHOTO COURTESY OF FRAN KATIGBAK

LETTY JIMENEZ-MAGSANOC was pregnant with her son, Marty, when I first met her during an election at the National Press Club. Now, Marty, a doctor and art collector, heads the oncology department of St. Luke’s Hospital in Quezon City.

Letty loved plants. Decades ago, she asked me to help her find grafted mabolo and macopa trees, which reminded her of her childhood. I requested my friend, Vivian Gonzales, to bring a magnolia plant from Los Baños for LJM.

Vivian recalls, “The flowering plant brought so much joy to Ms Magsanoc when I delivered it to her house, especially when I told her that it was a delivery from Ms Navasero.

“She didn’t seem as pleased the second time I delivered a huge pakpak-lawin plant to her—because I was in a military uniform!

“She probably thought I was there to [arrest] her. I heard her sigh of relief when I said it was another delivery from Mandy.”
The next day, Letty texted me, “No less than a colonel delivered my pakpak-lawin plant!” She loved taking care of her home and its garden.

Special

Last Dec. 21, I visited Letty and brought a fruit-bearing grafted lemon tree for her. She said she didn’t have time to decorate for Christmas. Her friendship was special to me: She was one of my character witnesses when I legally adopted my two younger children at the Pasay City court.

The prosecutor asked her, “How can Ms Navasero take care of them when she’s always seen in newspapers’ society pages? She responded, “With due respect, Your Honor, Ms Navasero is the one taking the pictures!”

She passionately loved life a thousand ways. She touched my life and was the first one to call me—Street Smart! And I will miss Letty every single day of my life!