EULOGY FOR PATRICK ZALDARRIAGA BY KAY YANG
Eulogy for Patrick
Cancer, my friends, is limited. In fact, it is so limited that:
It cannot cripple love
It cannot shatter hope
It cannot corrode faith
It cannot destroy peace
It cannot kill friendship
It cannot suppress memories
It cannot silence courage
It cannot invade the soul
It cannot steal eternal life
It cannot conquer the spirit
It cannot lessen the power of the resurrection
It cannot, and has not, defeated Patrick Zaldarriaga.
Today, we gather to say farewell to a beloved son, friend, student, and loved one.
I never thought, and still cannot believe, the reason I am standing before you today. I will try to do Patrick justice.
I met Patrick nine years ago. He was my brother’s best friend, and soon became a dear friend of mine. I didn’t know then – that this chubby boy swimming in our pool one summer’s day – would make such an impact on our lives. As the years went by and I became aware of his sickness, I came to see how gentle of a soul Patrick was. He was pure of heart and had great sensitivity to the world around him. Kind-hearted and altruistic, Patrick had a special way with people that separated him from the rest. I soon came to see that his qualities as a boy – no, as a man – were ideals for which we should all strive towards.
Patrick taught me many things. In his battle with this horrible disease he taught me the definition of courage despite hardship, of strength despite weakness. But most of all, he taught me the value of life – of seeing past our own everyday struggles and witnessing the beauty of life that God so graciously endowed us with.
Pat, you will remain forever in my heart. The memory of you in the hospital just three weeks ago – the last time I saw you so full of life – still remains etched into my mind. Despite your pains, I will never forget the laughter we shared as we talked about life in all its humor; in all its beauty. These are the things I will miss the most. Your voice, which always contained dashes of optimism; but most of all your fighting spirit – something we couldn’t see in a physical sense, but was something we could all feel. You were always a source of inspiration to me Pat, and I can only hope to be half the person you had already become.
It is always easier to say that he is in a better place. But if I had it my way, I would’ve liked him to stay a little bit longer. But as Patrick once wrote, and I quote: “I’m merely borrowing this life, which isn’t mine. This was a borrowed soul, a borrowed time.”
Rest in peace my dear friend.
