Jonathan Chetcuti writes:
The first thing that always came, and still comes, to my mind when anyone mentioned Cesco were the small Lego building blocks. His face lit up whenever these blocks were mentioned and he took great pride in showcasing the various items that he had built, explaining every detail and feature in them. I somehow always pictured him building something cool with these blocks, and as I write these few lines, I imagine him in Heaven, with the ultimate Lego set that you cannot find on this planet.
In the little contact I had with him over the last difficult months, I was taken aback by his focus when building something with these small blocks. It didn’t matter if he was in an dimly lit ward at the local hospital or in the rented flat in London, the little builder was meticulous in all that he did. His large eyes were all over the table, scanning for the next piece that he would fit perfectly into the intricate plastic structure. He wouldn’t miss a beat, forgetting everything and everyone around him and immersing himself in his own construction site.
I recall one time when he was telling me how he used to wake up at night in hospital to build his Star Wars spaceships, which incidentally were marked to be built by children of a much older age. In another brief visit while in London, Cesco had just woken up, a bit shaken, but he perked up after a few minutes and headed straight to the dining room table to start building a new set he had acquired that same morning. Talk about perseverance and a strong will to achieve.
From these simple observations, together with the events that characterised Cesco's final struggle, a very clear and important message resonates: Never stop trying, keep going, even when the odds are all stacked against you. Young and little as he was, he fought his illness like a superhero, never bowing down to the bad guy, just like in the cartoons. Physically he lost the battle, but the indelible mark that he left on all of us rises above the ashes, as he triumphs in an Eternal life that is definitely now giving him all that he deserves and more.
A word of strength goes out to his parents, grandparents and the rest of the family. Let Cesco’s memories be the building blocks of love that will make your families and relationships even stronger, the same blocks of love which incidentally Fae and Frank have used millions of in their roller-coaster ride to seek the ultimate cure for their beloved son.
Thank you Cesco for teaching us so much in so little time. Thank you for teaching us how to accept what the Lord has prepared for us in our voyage called life. Thank you for showing us what true perseverance is all about. Thank you for being a true warrior while you were here, and now the guardian angel that we could all look up to in Heaven.