By Tom Choy
Vancouver, British Columbia
“ Nothing in this world an take the place of persistence. Talent will not: nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not: the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.” Calvin Coolidge
When I met Jay Razon, 64 at the Don Bosco basketball court in Surrey, I saw Jay played basketball with gusto and passion. You can not miss Jay playing and also coaching his teammates. His voice was all you hear in the court. His teammates don’t mind. Jay is the leader of his team.
“ Jay play likes the legendary Kobe Bryant,” opines Chris Cunanan, a community photographer and is currently the President of the Circulo Pampangueno of BC. Chris continues, “ Jay is truly one hell of a character.” Jay moves and talks like Kobe. Jay breathes, inhales, and adores Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers and a Hall of Famer in the NBA. Almost everyone in local basketball circles know Jay.
Chris is fond of Jay while demonstrating how Jay moonwalks after just sinking a jumper. I met Jay through Chris. Jay was totally gregarious and a total trouper.
In life people will like you and there will always be people who detest you. Chris and I were having snacks at Goldilocks in Surrey and we came across somebody who lambasted Jay’s character. They say this is better than when no one talks about you. At least you matter to some people.
Pinoy entrepreneur Lhord Mac on Facebook said, “ Jay was down after an advisory against his Company Harvard Immigration from the Philippine Consulate General’s office came out. Jay reached out to his friend writer and former Philippine News Today editor Alex Vidal. Alex gave Jay a moving tribute.
Jay is a man with many talents. He was a nurse, a civil engineer, a DJ (according to his tweet “the highest paid wedding DJ in the US and Canada), a debt counsellor and his last profession was a licenced immigration consultant.
While with us earthlings, Jay was the Secretary of the Philippine Construction Society of BC. The association supports scholars at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines(PUP). He led the group to set up a Filipino memorial spot near the Nanaimo skytrain stop in Vancouver.
If Jay was going home late and he was still networking in a Pinoy karaoke in Surrey, he will call his Significant Other and whisper to her, “Mahal, I will be coming home a little bit late tonight.”
His Facebook business account states that he is only giving advice to potential Canadian immigrants and is not a labor recruiter. He knew his mandate and limits. The Philippine government labor agency saw otherwise. Alex Vidal reported that Jay was not given a chance to present his side. Even if he were given a chance, Jay will present from the other side now.
When the Philippine women’s softball team came to town in 2016 and 2017, Jay was the number one fan and supporter. He volunteered to drive the players and coaches around Vancouver. Jay attended almost all the games of the national softball players held in Surrey, BC.
Coach Ana Santiago remembers Jay, “ He was the kindest person I have met.” Jay organized a picnic for the visiting players and coaches at the Barnet Marine Park in the summer of 2017. He brought chicken and barbecued at the park.
I saw Jay pumped air too his plastic kayak. He then launched the kayak into the peaceful waters off of the park. He was going to catch crabs a few feet away from the shore. He came back with a few crabs which he immediately steamed and served to his guests. That was 2017.
On March 28, 2019, the waters close to the Barnet Marine Park was not as peaceful as 2 years back. The water was cold. Bert Quibuyen, a long-time Vancouver and Coquitlam resident said, “He probably perished from hyphotermia.”
Jay is no longer able to pass the ball like Kobe Bryant did. But his memory lingers. He will be remembered as a lively, likable, kind and wonderful person. Rest in peace now, Kobe Jay.
