Wayne Vella

Fabian Mangion writes:

Goodbye is the hardest thing to say to a friend like you. Wayne, I came to know you in September 1998 when you formed part of Form 3 Blue at De La Salle College.

From then on, especially after you ended Form 5, our student-teacher relationship evolved into a close friendship. I treasure vivid memories of the various instances which made those good old days.

No wonder your colleagues describe those days as entertaining … obviously with you around since you were a good friend to everyone.

One thing I remember clearly is the comical mime which, together with your close friends John and Keith, you per-formed on prize day. It was an original piece of drama in which the blowing of a whistle was the only possible means of communication between the characters. The performance was perfect and applauded by all present in the college’s main hall.

You were too young to leave this world! It seems like God required a young, kind-hearted and cheerful gentleman by His side.

Wayne, you loved life. The passion you had for life was amazing and it showed in everything you did: your daily work, the charity work you carried out, your drumming, your stage work, the way you lived with your friends, and so much more.

Not only were you only the best in many things, but you always sought to bring out the best in everyone you met. Your presence always meant seeing the bright side of life. You gave us all a great example of how to live life: work and enjoy life with all that it offers.

This is how I will remember you. You were loved in life. You were a great person who nobody will ever forget.

I will always remember you, all excited, planning and looking forward to new adventures. I will always remember you as an adventurous and courageous person. You lived your life to the fullest by reaching the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, sky-diving, touring Europe with the band you played drums in, and so on.

Every moment with you was a special one. Always smiling and laughing at the world around us. Thanks for the positive influence you left on me and all those who knew you.

At the moment, while I’m still trying to come to grips with your loss, what moves through me is a serene silence and a quiet sadness. I eagerly await the day when I shall understand why you left this Earth so soon, or why you left before we were ready to say goodbye.

However, I feel encouraged when I bear in mind that even though you passed away, you made the most out of your life and in doing so, you gave us memories too beautiful to forget.

During your funeral we celebrated your life. It was a manifestation of how deeply you were loved, esteemed and appreciated by everyone. You were God’s gift to all those who knew you.

From Heaven, the much better place in which you are now, keep an eye on your loved ones and on us all. Most of all, grant us all the courage to move on and to look at life with that optimistic manner with which you lived all your life.

See you later my friend.