"When you do something noble and
beautiful and nobody noticed, do not
be sad. For the sun every morning
is a beautiful spectacle and yet most
of the audience still sleeps."
- (From Yanyan's FB cover photo)
THE news of her passing was a jolt to everyone; it hasn't sunk in me yet.
I was in Bukidnon attending my father's 71st birthday when my only daughter Mekoy informed me about the bad news via text messaging. It is the worst pain on earth, let a song go out of my heart.
Mekoy was, and will always be a fan of table tennis icon Yan-Yan Lariba who's surely now up in heaven as she's an angel in everything she did on earth.
"She's a busy athlete but she could make up and cope up with anything and still finished on top of our class with flying colors. She's a good friend to everyone," Mekoy, who sparingly played chess then at Corpus Christi, would love to share it to me.
As her biggest achievement, Lariba--the twice undefeated UAAP Player of the Year and a Dean's Lister of the De La Salle University-- became the first table tennis player to represent the country in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
Sadly after that, it did not take long for her to be diagnosed with acute leukemia and after years of battling with the big C, the former Corpus Christi standout passed away on Sunday morning, September 2.
She was 23. Could be so unfair for someone who had to put up being nice and good for too much of her life. But isn't spending short and quality life worth the heavenly rewards?
Looking back, I must say that Lariba's development was quick and easy.
Then strolling as a kid at Pelaez Sports Center in Cagayan de Oro, Yan-Yan had gone to a secluded corner of tik-tak-pong and was immediately smitten by the table tennis bug. She picked up the paddle and numerous accolades would soon befit her including the MVP award in Mindanao Milo Little Olympics.
In our first Palaro together in Marvel, Cotabato (I was a coach then to my son Lennon Hart and his childhood buddy Antonio Chavez Jr. for NMRAA chess), we witnessed how the lefty, bobbling Lariba dominated the sport like no other.
As usual, Northern Mindanao bets will have to struggle for dear life in other sports disciplines but not in table tennis with Yan-Yan at the helm of the region's quest for medals.
Against the best from National Capital Region, its like a practice game for her; it's a pity to watch every opponent with no chance of survival as we cheered from the stand "Lariba, Lariba (to the tune of Ariba, Ariba) when she went on winning the Palaro's individual gold in sweeping manner.
In Dapitan Palaro, I remember Corpus sports coordinator Eric Miguel having a hard time to justify Yan-Yan's presence as the palaro board—upon the rival regions' insinuation—won't let her play because she overqualified.
That's the aftermath when as a 12-year-old, Lariba took the big city by storm, competing in the national event, even winning the upper age brackets including the Open category at the expense of the much older and more illustrious members of the Philippine team.
She proved it once again during her UAAP days that she never lost a single match up to qualifying to the Rio Olympics.
"What she accomplished was her own prophecy she wrote in our high school year book about her dreams of becoming an Olympic athlete someday," Dr. Alfonso del Fierro, Corpus Christi School director, was giggling with excitement as he told me after the talented sibling of two ordinary workers, Mel and Tony, was able to strut her stuff in the world's largest sports arena—the Olympics!
Back in Cagayan de Oro shore (rewind, some years later), I came from a night-long drinking binge. Half-drunk, half-awake on a jeepney ride passing through Velez Street on my way home when I spotted Yan-Yan at daybreak jogging around the Capitol Park as could be part of her morning ritual. See the deepest, darkest stark contrast?
She'd been highly disciplined, courteous, God-fearing and great achiever through all her life.
And here we are. Big sinners, less pleasers, nocturnal body health pathetic bums and are still very much alive and kicking.
There's no justice to it, I must say. But Yan-Yan Lariba will always be an inspiration I learn a lesson or two out of her amazing grace through life and death till mortality ends.
Up to her last breath, up to her last battle...the fight that she bravely fought she's an angel.
She's also a flower. In fragrant meadows...of dawn....and dew. A joy to watch and sweet aroma to remember.
Rest it easy Yan-Yan. You will always be our hero!
