RONNIE Quizon Photo: NIÑO Jesus Orbeta
The late great ‘King of Comedy’ Dolphy would have turned 84 today. How’s his family coping, now that he’s gone?
One of his sons, Ronnie, let me in on the Quizons’ day-to-day moving on process.
July 15
After Dad was laid to rest, Zsa Zsa and the whole clan gathered at his house in Marina for dinner. An honorary seat was left vacant for him.
I was the last to arrive and hardly ate. I just remember drinking Dad’s last glassful of Gatorade and a few of the “munchies” he craved and ate when he was sick.
Each of us also took a few of Dad’s items as personal mementos. I got a handkerchief, a T-shirt that he wore as pambahay when he was bedridden, and a white Lacoste shirt that he specifically asked me to buy for him to wear in Christmas 2011.
July 16
My brother Eric left for Hong Kong [en route to] Greece.
We celebrated my brother Edwin’s birthday by having lunch at one of dad’s favorite hangouts, Hizon’s. We ordered some of his favorite food, though his top picks were not available (Dad was probably playing tricks on us).
We talked about what happened at the wake.
The owner gave Edwin a cake, which we brought to Dad’s resting place.
At Heritage Park we prayed the novena (it was dad’s seventh day of passing). Afterwards, we opened his bottle of Hennessy X.O, which Zia brought along, and ate Edwin’s birthday cake. Edwin offered the first slice to dad.
It was quite a fun day, full of happy thoughts and conversation.
July 17
It was a rest day for most of us. There were no family plans on this day, and each of us had time for ourselves.
I prayed the novena alone in the house.
My sister Kit flew home to the United States.
July 18
COMEDY king Dolphy INQUIRER PHOTO
It was Dad’s ninth day of passing, so we had Mass celebrated for him at Heritage Park with some family and friends. It was not formally announced and security was tight, leaving media people standing outside the park.
After the Mass, we prayed the novena again, then headed to one of the chapels we used during the wake, and had merienda.
There were a few celebrity guests, among them Maricel Soriano, Tita Marichu Maceda and the mayor of Taguig, Honorable Lani Cayetano.
Some of my relatives and friends proceeded to Basilio’s at Bonifacio Global City for some bonding time. I decided not to go, since I had some backlog work to do.
July 19
Edwin had to fly back to the United States (8 p.m.) followed by my sister Donna and brother Manny Boy (10 p.m.).
July 20
Another rest day for the Quizons. We attended to personal things, trying to move on with our respective lives.
July 21
Tita Pilar Pilapil invited the Quizon kids to a dinner that she hosted for Dad. Those who came were Epy, Ate Sahlee, Kuya Dolphy Jr., Sonny and I.
The rest have gone home to the United States, one was sick (Dino), and one was out of town (Vandolph). Tita Pilar’s daughter and my close friend, Pia, was there along with other family members and friends.
I gave Tita Pilar a copy of dad’s autobiography, “Dolphy: Hindi Ko Ito Narating Mag-isa,” as I promised when I interviewed her for the book.
She also gave a copy of her own autobiography, “The Woman Without a Face,” to each of her guests.
It was a great night of chatting, remembering and honoring my father.
Then, Pia, Epy and I went off for some more bonding time, along with some of Pia’s friends.
July 22
Another regular “moving on” day for the Quizons. It was a nice rainy day for me, doing what I personally needed to attend to.
July 23
The Quizon siblings went to Pagsanjan, Laguna, for more bonding moments and to give our balikbayan brothers (Sonny and Dino) time to relax.
The trip was hosted by a friend of ours, Governor ER Ejercito, whose late father (George Estregan) looked to Dad as a kuya.
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Happy birthday, Tito Dolphy. You are the gift that your children were born with. Your memory and legacy live on through each of them. And we Filipinos are happier because, once upon a time, there was a Dolphy in our midst.