RIP: Tito "George"

One of my mom's longtime staff, Tito Roy (or Tito "George"), has passed away due to pancreatic cancer. Condolences to his family and loved ones. He was just 51.

Tito Roy is more known to his friends and co-workers as "George" due to his uncanny resemblance to Culture Club singer, Boy George. He's an engineer working for the PIA film archives laboratory. After the division was dissolved, he transferred to MIT and quickly became an expert on computer hardwares.

I knew him since I was small. My mother used to take me to PIA when I was still a kid, and he's one of the more familiar faces. During my OJT, I got to be with him again. Much respect for this man.

Last time I saw him was last year when my computer broke down. My hard disk got corrupted because of the continuous black-outs, and it was Tito George who fixed it and salvaged my all too important data. He came over the house to check it, and that was the last time I saw him. He was all too healthy then... thin (like his usual self) but healthy nonetheless.

Imagine my surprise when my mom told me last February that Tito George was confined to the hospital because of Pancreatic Cancer. Halos buto't-balat na raw sa payat. :(

Then just last Thursday when my mom got home from the office, she told me Tito George has passed away. Imagine my shock. I couldn't sleep that night.

Just last year, this man was his usual self: wisecracking, music loving, techie savvy... and now he's gone. In just a span of five months, he succumbed to cancer-- He started going to the doctor as early as January because of stomach pains; then he was diagnosed of cancer this February; and then, he eventually got confined... then this Thursday, he succumbed.

And you know what did him in? What caused his pancreatic cancer? It was his heavy smoking and coffee consumption. I always knew Tito George was a heavy smoker. My mom told me Tito George had the habit of not eating right, but instead consumes large amounts of coffee coupled with his cigarette smoking.

So to all of my friends and loved ones, take care of yourselves. I myself am a coke lover, but I'm making an effort on cutting down because of my high uric acid count. Take care of yourselves. Tito George was far too young and talented for his demise. This is definitely a tragedy. Don't let it happen to you.

Rest in peace, Tito "George".